8
QUE C'EST VN BIEN POUR L'VNE & L'AUTRE FRANCE,
D'ENUOYER ICY DES COLONIES.
IL est à craindre que dans la multiplication de nos
François en ces contrées, la paix, la ioye, & la
bonne intelligence ne croissent pas [52] à proportion
que croistront les Habitans de la Nouuelle France.
Il est bien plus facile de contenir vn petit nombre
d'hommes, que des peuples entiers; si faut-il neantmoins
confesser, que ce seroit vne chose tres-honorable,
& tres-profitable à l'Ancienne France, & tres-vtile
à la Nouuelle, de faire icy des peuplades, & d'y
enuoyer des Colonies.
HOW IT IS A BENEFIT TO BOTH OLD AND NEW
FRANCE, TO SEND COLONIES HERE.
It is to be feared that in the multiplication of our
French, in these countries, peace, happiness, and
good feeling may not increase [52] in the same
ratio as do the Inhabitants of New France.1 It is
much easier to control a few men than whole multitudes;
yet it must be confessed that it would be an
enterprise very honorable and very profitable to Old
France, and very useful to the New, to establish settlements
here, and to send over Colonies.
Les François seront-ils seuls entre toutes les Nations
de la terre, priuez de l'honneur de se dilater, &
de se respandre dans ce Nouueau Monde. La France
beaucoup plus peuplée, que tous les autres Royaumes,
n'aura des Habitans que pour soy? ou bien si ses enfans
la quittent, s'en vont qui de-çà, qui de-là perdre
le nom de François chez l'Estranger.
Shall the French, alone of all the Nations of the
earth, be deprived of the honor of expanding and
spreading over this New World? Shall France, much
more populous than all the other Kingdoms, have
Inhabitants only for itself? or, when her children
leave her, shall they go here and there and lose the
name of Frenchmen among Foreigners?
Les Geographes, les Historiens, [53] & l'experience
mesme nous fait veoir, qu'il sort tous les ans de la
France vn grand nombre de personnes, qui vont
prendre party ailleurs: Car encor que le Sol de nostre
patrie soit tres-fecond, les Françoises ont ceste benediction,
qu'elles le sont encore dauantage: de là vient
que nos anciens Gaulois manquans de terres, en ont
esté chercher en diuers endroits de l'Europe. Les
10
Galates tirent d'eux leur origine, ils ont trauersé l'Italie,
ils sont passez dans la Grece, & en plusieurs
autres endroits. Or maintenant nos François ne sont
pas en moindre nombre que nos vieux Gaulois; mais
ils ne sortent plus en troupes, ains s'en võt espars,
qui d'vn costé, qui d'autre, busquer leur fortune chez
l'Estranger. Ne vaudroit-il pas mieux décharger
l'Ancienne France dans la Nouuelle, par des Colonies
[54] qu'on y peut enuoyer, que de peupler les pays
Estrangers?
Geographers, Historians, [53] and experience itself,
show us that every year a great many people
leave France who go to enroll themselves elsewhere.
For, although the Soil of our country is very fertile,
the French women have this blessing, that they are
still more so; and thence it happens that our ancient
Gauls, in want of land, went to seek it in different
parts of Europe. The Galatians draw their origin
from them; they have crossed Italy, they have passed
into Greece, and into many other regions. At present,
our French people are no less numerous than
our old Gauls; but they do not go forth in bands,
but separately, some going in one direction, some in
another, to make their fortunes among Strangers.
Would it not be better to empty Old France into
New, by means of Colonies [54] which could be sent
there, than to people Foreign countries?
Adioustez, s'il vous plaist, qu'il y a vne infinité
d'artisans en France, qui faute d'employ, ou faute de
posseder quelque peu de terre, passent leur vie dans
vne pauureté, & dans vne disette pitoyable. Vn tres-grand
nombre vont mandier leur pain de porte en
porte: plusieurs se iettent dedans les vols & dans les
brigandages publics; d'autres dans les larcins &
tromperies secrettes, chacun s'efforçant de tirer à soy
ce que plusieurs ne sçauroient posseder. Or comme
la Nouuelle France est de si grande estenduë, on y
peut enuoyer si bon nombre d'habitans, que ceux qui
resteront à l'Ancienne auront dequoy employer leur
industrie honnestement, sans se ietter dans des vices
qui perdent les Republiques; ce n'est pas qu'il fallust
[55] enuoyer icy des personnes perduës, & de mauuaise
vie: car ce seroit bastir des Babylones; mais les
bons faisant places aux méchants, leurs donneroient
occasion de fuyr l'oysiueté qui les corrompt.
Add to this, if you please, that there is a multitude
of workmen in France, who, for lack of employment
or of owning a little land, pass their lives in poverty
and wretched want. Many of them beg their bread
from door to door; some of them resort to stealing
and public brigandage, others to larceny and secret
frauds, each one trying to obtain for himself what
many cannot possess. Now as New France is so immense,
so many inhabitants can be sent here that
those who remain in the Mother Country will have
enough honest work left them to do, without launching
into those vices which ruin Republics; this does
not mean that [55] ruined people, or those of evil
lives, should be sent here, for that would be to build
Babylons; but if the good were to make room for
the bad, it would give the latter an opportunity to
escape the idleness that corrupts them.
De plus si ces Contrées se peuplent de nos François,
non seulement on affoiblit les forces de l'Estranger,
qui tient dans ses vaisseaux, dans ses villes, &
dans ses armées, grand nombre de François à ses
gages:
Non seulement on bannit la famine des maisons
12
d'vne infinité de pauures artisans, mais encore
fortifie-on la France; car ceux qui naistront en la
Nouuelle France, seront François, & qui pourront
dans les besoins rendre de bons seruices à leur Roy,
ce qu'on ne doit pas attendre de ceux qui s'habituent
chez nos voisins, & hors la domination de leur Prince.
Besides, if these Countries are peopled by our
French, not only will this weaken the strength of
the Foreigner,—who holds in his ships, in his towns,
and in his armies, a great many of our Countrymen
as hostages,—not only will it banish famine from
the houses of a multitude of poor workman, but it
will also strengthen France; for those who will be
born in New France, will be French, and in case of
need can render good service to their King,—a thing
which cannot be expected from those who dwell
among our neighbors and outside the dominion of
their Prince.
[56] En fin si ces pays se peuplent de François, ils
s'affermiront à la Couronne, & l'Estranger ne les
viendra plus troubler. Et on nous dit que ceste année
les Anglois ont rendu à Monsieur le Commandeur
de Rasilly l'habitation de Pemptegoüs, qu'ils prirent
aux François l'année mil six cens treize. D'icy prouiendra
vn bien, qui attirera sur l'vne & l'autre
France vne grande benediction du Ciel; c'est la Conuersion
d'vne infinité de Nations Sauuages, qui habitent
dans les terres, lesquelles se vont tous les iours
disposans à receuoir le flambeau de la Foy.
[56] Finally, if this country is peopled by the
French, it will be firmly attached to the Crown, and
the Foreigner will come no more to trouble it. And
they tell us that this year the English have restored
to Monsieur the Commander de Rasilly the settlement
of Pemptegoüs, that they took from the French
in the year one thousand six hundred and thirteen.2
From this will result a good which will draw down
upon both old and new France a great blessing from
Heaven; it is the Conversion of a vast number of
Savage Nations, who inhabit these lands and who
are every day becoming disposed to receive the light
of the Faith.
Or il ne faut point douter qu'il ne se trouue icy de
l'employ pour toutes sortes d'artisans. Pourquoy les
grands bois de la Nouuelle France ne pourroient ils
pas bien fournir de Nauires à l'Ancienne? qui doute
qu'il n'y ait icy des mines de fer, de [57] cuiure, &
d'autre metail? On en a desia fait la découuerte de
quelques vnes, qu'on va bien-tost dresser; & par consequent
tous ceux qui trauaillent en bois & en fer,
trouueront icy dequoy s'occuper. Les bleds n'y
manqueront non plus qu'en France. Ie ne fais pas
profession de rapporter les biens du pays, ny de monstrer
ce qui peut occuper icy l'esprit & le corps de nos
François. Ie me cõtenteray de dire, que ce seroit vn
honneur & vn grand bien à l'vne & à l'autre France,
de faire passer des Colonies, & dresser forces peuplades
dans les terres, qui sont en friche depuis la
naissance du monde.
Now there is no doubt that there can be found
here employment for all sorts of artisans. Why cannot
the great forests of New France largely furnish
the Ships for the Old? Who doubts that there are
here mines of iron, [57] copper, and other metals?3
Some have already been discovered, which will soon
be worked; and hence all those who work in wood
and iron will find employment here. Grain will not
fail here, more than in France. I do not pretend to
recite all the advantages of the country, nor to show
what can give occupation here to the intelligence and
strength of our French people; I will content myself
by saying that it would be an honor and a great benefit
to both old and new France to send over Emigrants
and establish strong colonies in these lands,
which have lain fallow since the birth of the world.
14
On me dira que Messieurs de la Compagnie de la
Nouuelle France se sont chargez de le faire; ie répõds
qu'ils s'acquittẽt parfaictemẽt bien de leur deuoir,
quoy qu'auec de tres [58] grands frais: mais
quand ils feroient passer trois fois autant de personnes
qu'ils ont promis, ils déchargeroient de fort
peu l'Ancienne France, & ne peupleroient qu'vn petit
Canton de la Nouuelle. Neantmoins auec le temps
il se fera progrés, & aussi-tost que par le défrichement
on pourra recueillir de la terre, ce qui est necessaire
pour la vie, on trouuera mille vtilitez sur le
pays, qui seront encore profitables, à la Frãce: mais
il semble qu'il soit necessaire qu'vne grande estenduë
de bois soit changée en terres labourables, auparauant
que d'introduire plus grand nombre de familles,
autrement la faim les pourroit égorger.
They will tell me that the Gentlemen of the Company
of New France have taken it upon themselves
to do this; I answer that they are discharging their
duty perfectly, although at very [58] great expense;4
but even if they should bring over three times as
many people as they have promised, they would but
slightly relieve Old France, and would people only
a little Canton of the New. Nevertheless, in time
they will make some progress; and as soon as,
through the clearing of the land, they can obtain
from it what is necessary for life, thousands of useful
things will be found in the country which will
also be profitable to France. But it seems necessary
that a great extent of forest should be converted into
tillable land, before introducing many families, otherwise
famine might consume them.
Ie m'estens trop sur vn point, qui sẽble éloigné de
mon sujet, quoy qu'il y soit tres-conforme; car si ie
voyois icy quelques villes ou bourgades, recueillir
suffisamment des fruicts de [59] la terre pour leurs
besoins, nos Sauuages errans se rangeroiẽt bien-tost
à leur abry, & se faisans sedẽtaires à nostre exemple,
notamment si on leur rendoit quelque assistance, on
les pourroit aisément instruire en la Foy. Pour les
peuples stables qui sont bien auant dans les terres, on
iroit en grand nombre les secourir, & auec d'autant
plus d'authorité & moins de crainte qu'on se sentiroit
appuyé de ces Villes ou Bourgades. Plus la puissance
de nos François aura d'éclat en ces Contrées,
& plus aisément feront-ils receuoir leur creance à ces
Barbares, qui se menent autant & plus par les sens
que par la raison.
I enlarge upon a point which seems remote from
my subject, although it is closely related thereto;
for if I could see here a number of towns or villages,
gathering enough of the fruits of [59] the earth for
their needs, our wandering Savages would soon range
themselves under their protection; and, being rendered
sedentary by our example, especially if they
were to be given some help, they could easily be instructed
in the Faith. As to the stationary tribes
farther back in the interior, we would go in great
numbers to succor them; and would have much more
authority, and less fear, if we felt that we had the
support of these Towns or Villages. The more imposing
the power of our French people is made in
these Countries, the more easily they can make their
belief received by these Barbarians, who are influenced
even more through the senses, than through
reason.
16
RAMAS DE DIUERSES CHOSES DRESSÉ EN FORME DE
IOURNAL.
TOVT ce qui se dira en ce Chapitre, n'est qu'vn
mélange qui n'aura pas beaucoup de suitte, ny
de liaison, sinon peut-estre du temps auquel les
choses sont arriuées: encore ne se suiura-il que de
loin à loin.
A COLLECTION OF VARIOUS MATTERS PREPARED IN
THE FORM OF A JOURNAL.
ALL that will be said in this Chapter is a mere
medley, in which there will be but little sequence
or connection, except perhaps that of
the time in which the things happened; and still
they will follow each other only at wide intervals.
Le douziesme d'Aoust de l'année precedente mil
six cens trente quatre, Monsieur du Plessis Bochard
General de la flotte, leua l'ancre, & quitta la Rade de
Kebec, pour tirer à Tadoussac, & de là en France, où
l'on nous dit qu'il arriua enuiron la my-Septembre,
n'ayant esté qu'vn mois à trauerser la mer.
On the twelfth of August of the preceding year, one
thousand six hundred and thirty-four, Monsieur du
Plessis Bochard,5 Commandant of the fleet, weighed
anchor and left the Roadstead of Kebec, to go to
Tadoussac and thence to France, where we are told
he arrived about the middle of September, having
been only a month in crossing the sea.
[61] Le vingt-sixiesme du mesme mois d'Aoust,
quelques Sauuages passans proche de nostre Maison
nous firent veoir des prunes qu'ils auoient cueilly
dans les bois, non pas bien loin de nostre Maison:
elles estoient aussi grosses que les petits abricots de
France, leur noyau est plat comme celuy de l'abricot:
cela me fait dire que les froids de ces Contrées, n'empescherõt
pas qu'on n'en retire des fruits. Nous en
verrons l'experience dans quelques années; car nous
auons greffé quelques antes qui ont fort bien repris.
[61] On the twenty-sixth of the same month of
August, some Savages who were passing our House
showed us some plums they had gathered in the
woods not far from there; they were as large as the
little apricots of France, their stone being flat like
that of the apricot. This leads me to say that the
cold of these Countries does not prevent fruit from
growing. We shall know from experience, in a few
years, for we have grafted some cuttings which have
started very well.
Le troisiesme de Septembre nous nous embarquasmes
le Pere Buteux & moy, pour aller secourir
nos François en la Nouuelle Habitation, qu'on commençoit
aux trois Riuieres. Nous passasmes proche
18
de l'Islet de Rich[e]lieu, nommé des [62] Sauuages Ka
ouapassiniskakhi. Monsieur de Champlain y a fait
dresser vne platte-forme, sur laquelle on a posé du
Canon, pour commander à toute la Riuiere. Depuis
cet Islet iusques à vne bonne traite de chemin an de-là,
le passage est fort dangereux, à qui n'a cognoissance
du vray chenal, nous touchasmes vne fois,
eschoüasmes vne autre, & nostre barque, dans vn
grand nordest, frisa vne roche, qui donna de l'horreur
à tous ceux qui la virent. Dieu semble auoir
armé ce passage pour la conseruation du Pays, entre
les mains des François qui le possedent.
On the third of September, we, Father Buteux and
I, embarked to go and help our French in the New
Settlement they are beginning at the three Rivers.
We passed near the Island of Rich[e]lieu, called by
the [62] Savages Ka ouapassiniskakhi. Monsieur de
Champlain has had a platform erected there, upon
which they have placed some Cannon in order to
command the whole River.6 From this Islet to a
considerable distance above, the passage is very dangerous
to any one who does not know the real channel.
Once we touched bottom, another time we were
stranded; and in a strong northeaster our bark grazed
a rock, which filled with horror all those that saw it.
God seems to have armed this passage for the preservation
of the Country in the hands of the French,
who now possess it.
Le huictiesme nous arriuasmes aux trois Riuieres,
le seiour y est fort agréable, la terre sablonneuse, la
pesche en son temps tres-abõdante. Vn Sauuage rapportera
quelquefois dans son Canot douze ou quinze
[63] Esturgeons, dont le moindre sera par fois de la
hauteur d'vn homme. Il y a quantité d'autres poissons
tres-excellens. Les Français ont nõmé ce lieu
les trois Riuieres, pource qu'il sort des terres vn assez
beau fleuue, qui se vient dégorger dans la grande
Riuiere de sainct Laurens par trois principales emboucheures,
causées par plusieurs petites Isles, qui se
rencontrent à l'entrée de ce fleuue, nommé des Sauuages
Metaberoutin. Ie décrirois volontiers la beauté
de ce lieu, mais ie crains d'estre long; Tout le pays
entre Kebec & ceste nouuelle Habitation, que nous
appellerõs la Residence de la Conception, m'a semblé
fort agreable, il est entrecoupé de ruisseaux & de
fleuues, qui se déchargent d'espaces en espaces dans
le Roy des fleuues, c'est à dire, dans la grande riuiere
de S. Laurens, [64] qui a bien encore en ce lieu là
quelque deux à trois mille pas de large quoy qu'il
soit à trente lieuës au dessus de Kebec.
On the eighth, we arrived at the three Rivers.
We found living there very agreeable; the ground
is sandy, the fish very abundant in its season. A
Savage will sometimes bring in his Canoe twelve or
fifteen [63] Sturgeon, the smallest of which is occasionally
as long as the height of a man; besides these,
there are also a number of other very good fish. The
French have named this place the three Rivers, because
there emerges here a very beautiful river which
flows into the great River saint Lawrence through
three principal mouths, caused by several little Islands
which are found at the entrance of this river,
which the Savages call Metaberoutin.7 I would like
to describe the beauty of this place, but I am afraid
of being tedious. The whole country between Kebec
and this new Settlement, which we will call the
Residence of the Conception, seems to me very
pleasant; it is intersected by brooks and streams,
which empty at short distances from each other into
the King of rivers, that is, into the great river St.
Lawrence, [64] which is, even at this place, fully two
or three thousand paces wide, although it is thirty
leagues above Kebec.
20
Le vingt-septiesme du mesme mois de Septembre
vn Elan parut de l'autre bord de ceste grande riuiere,
nos François en donnerent aduis à quelques Sauuages
cabanez proche de l'Habitation, quelques-vns d'eux
s'en vont attaquer ce grand animal, qui se rafraichissoit
dedans l'eau, l'allant prendre du costé des terres,
pour le pousser plus auant dans le fleuue, ils voloient
apres dans leurs petits Canots d'écorce, ils l'approcherent
à la portée d'vn iauelot, & l'vn d'eux luy
lança vne espée qui le fit bondir, & chercher le chemin
de la terre pour se sauuer; ce qu'il eust fait aisément,
s'il eust peu aborder; mais voyant ses ennemis de ce
costé là, il [65] se iette à l'eau, où il fut bien-tost
lardé de coups d'espées. Comme il tiroit à la mort,
ils le repousserent vers le bord du fleuue, & là le
mirent en vn momẽt en pieces, pour le pouuoir apporter
en leur cabane. Nous voyons ceste chasse de
nostre Habitation esleuée sur vne platte forme naturelle,
qui a veuë sur la grande Riuiere. Ie consideray
particulierement la teste de cest animal, il auoit
poussé vn bois de la longueur seulement des cornes
d'vn bœuf; car il estoit encore tout ieune ce bois
estoit tout velu, assez mince, & d'vne grosseur quasi
égale partout.
On the twenty-seventh of the same month of September,
an Elk appeared on the other bank of this
great river; our Frenchmen gave notice of it to some
Savages who were encamped near the Settlement,
and some of them went to attack this great animal,
which was standing in the water drinking. Approaching
it from the land side, to drive it farther
into the water, they flew after it in their little bark
Canoes; and, approaching it within range, one of
them launched a javelin at it, which made it give a
bound and start for the shore to save itself; it might
easily have done this if it had been able to touch the
shore; but seeing its enemies there, it [65] rushed
into the water where it was soon run through with
javelins. When it was near its death, they drove it
to the shore, and there in a moment they had cut it
in pieces, to be able to carry it to their cabin. We
saw this chase from our Settlement, which is on a
natural elevation and commands a view of the great
River. I carefully examined the head of this animal;
its antlers had grown only as long as the horns
of an ox, for it was still young; these antlers were
covered with hair which was quite fine and almost
equally thick throughout.
Le vingt-huictiesme le Pere Buteux & moy trouuasmes
vne troupe de Sauuages, qui faisoient festin
auprés des fosses de leurs parens trespassez; ils leur
donnerent la meilleure part du banquet qu'ils ietterent
[66] au feu, & s'en voulans aller vne femme rompit
des branches, & des rameaux d'arbres, dont elle couurit
ces fosses; ie luy en demanday la raison, elle
repartit qu'elle abrioit l'ame de ses amis trespassez,
contre l'ardeur du Soleil, qui a esté fort grande cet
22
Automne. Ils philosophent des ames des hommes
& de leurs necessitez, comme des corps, conformément
à leur doctrine, se figurans que nos ames ont
les mesmes besoins que nos corps; nous luy dismes
assez que les ames des creatures raisonnables descendoiẽt
aux enfers, ou montoient au Ciel; elle ne laissa
pas, sans nous rien respondre, de garder la vieille
coustume de ses ayeux. Ceux qui ne resentent pas
les obligations qu'ils ont à Dieu, d'auoir pris naissance
en vn lieu où il est cogneu & adoré, peuuent
icy veoir à l'œil quel preciput [67] ils ont par dessus
vn monde de barbares.
On the twenty-eighth, Father Buteux and I found
a band of Savages who were having a feast near the
graves of their deceased relatives; they gave them
the best part of the banquet, which they threw [66]
into the fire; and, when they were about to go away,
a woman broke some twigs and branches from the
trees, with which she covered these graves. I asked
her why she did this, and she answered that she was
sheltering the souls of her dead friends from the heat
of the Sun, which has been very great this Autumn.
They reason about the souls of men and their necessities
as they do about the body; according to their
doctrine, they suppose that our souls have the same
needs as our bodies. We told her repeatedly that
the souls of reasonable beings descended into hell or
went up into Heaven; but, without giving us any
answer, she continued to follow the old custom of
her ancestors. Those who do not appreciate the
obligations they are under to God, for having been
born in a place where he is known and worshiped,
can see here at a glance what an advantage [67] they
have over a world of barbarians.
Le vingt-troisiesme iour d'Octobre, quinze ou vingt
Sauuages reuindrent de la guerre, amenans vn prisonnier.
Si tost qu'il peurent découurir nostre Habitation
& leurs cabanes, ils rassemblerent leurs canots,
& s'en vindrent doucement par le milieu du
grand fleuue, poussant de leur estomach des chants
tout remplis d'allegresse; si tost qu'on les apperceut,
il se fit vn grand cry dans les cabanes; chacun sortit
au deuant pour veoir ces gueriers, qui firent leuer
tout debout le pauure prisonnier, & le firent danser à
leur mode au milieu d'vn canot; il chãtoit & eux
frappoient de leurs auirons à la cadence; il estoit lié
d'vne corde qui luy passoit de bras en bras derriere
le dos, & d'vne autre aux pieds, & encore d'vne autre
[68] assez longue par le trauers du corps; ils luy
auoient arraché les ongles des doigts, afin qu'il ne se
peust délier. Admirez ie vous prie la cruauté de ces
peuples, vne Sauuage nous ayant apperceu le Pere
Buteux & moy dans la meslée auec les autres, nous
vint dire toute remplie de ioye & de contentement,
Tapoue kouetakiou nigamouau; en vérité ie mangeray
24
de l'Hiroquois. En fin ce pauure homme sorty du
canot fut conduit dans vne cabane, à l'entrée les enfans,
les filles & les femmes le frappoient, qui d'vn
baston, qui d'vne pierre: vous eussiez dit qu'il estoit
insensible, passant chemin, & receuant ces coups, sans
destourner la veuë: si tost qu'il fust entré, on le fit
dancer à la cadence de leurs hurlemens. Apres auoir
fait quelques tours, frappant la terre, & s'agitant le
corps, en quoy consiste toute [69] leur dance, on le fit
asseoir, & quelques Sauuages nous apostrophans, nous
dirent que cet Hiroquois estoit l'vn de ceux qui l'année
precedente auoient surpris & massacré trois de
nos François, c'estoit pour estouffer en nous la compassion
que nous en pouuiõs auoir, ils oserent bien
demander à quelques-vns de nos François, s'ils n'en
mangeroient pas bien leur part, puis qu'ils auoient
tué de nos Compatriotes. On leur repartit que ces
cruautez nous déplaisoient, & que nous n'estions point
des antropophages. Il ne mourut point neantmoins;
car ces Barbares ennuyez de la guerre, parlerent à ce
ieune prisonnier, qui est homme fort, & d'vne riche
& haute taille, de faire la paix; ils ont esté long-tẽps
à la traiter, mais en fin ils l'ont concluë. Ie croy
bien qu'elle ne durera gueres, [70] car le premier
vertige qui prendra à quelque estourdy, sur le souuenir
que l'vn de ses parens aura esté tué par les Hiroquois,
en ira surprendre quelqu'vn, & le massacrera
en trahison: & ainsi recommencera la guerre. Il ne
faut pas attendre de fidelité des peuples qui n'ont
point la vraye Foy.
On the twenty-third day of October, fifteen or
twenty Savages returned from the war, bringing a
prisoner. As soon as they could descry our Settlement
and their cabins, they collected their canoes
and sailed slowly down the middle of the great river,
uttering from their chests songs full of gladness; as
soon as they were seen, there was a great outcry
among the cabins, each one coming out to see these
warriors, who made the poor prisoner stand up and
dance in their fashion in the middle of a canoe. He
sang, and they kept time with their paddles; he was
bound with a cord which tied his arms behind his
back, another was around his feet, and still another,
[68] a long one, around his body; they had torn out
his finger-nails, so that he could not untie himself.
Marvel, I pray you, at the cruelty of these people.
A Savage, having perceived Father Buteux and me
mingling with the others, came up to us and said,
full of joy and satisfaction, Tapoue kouetakiou nigamouau;
"I shall really eat some Hiroquois." Finally
this poor man came out of the canoe, and was
taken into a cabin, the children, girls, and women
striking him, some with sticks, others with stones,
as he entered; you would have said he was insensible,
as he passed along and received these blows
without looking around; as soon as he entered, they
made him dance to the music of their howls. After
having made a few turns, striking the ground and
agitating his body, which is all there is of [69] their
dancing, they made him sit down; and some of the
Savages, addressing us, told us that this Hiroquois was
one of those who the year before had surprised and
killed three of our Frenchmen; this was done to
stifle in us the pity that we might have for him, and
they even dared to ask some of our French if they
did not want to eat their share of him, since they had
killed our Countrymen. We replied that these cruelties
displeased us, and that we were not cannibals.
He did not die, however; for these Barbarians, weary
of the war, spoke with this young prisoner, who was
a strong man, tall and finely formed, about making
peace; they have been treating about it for a long
time, but at last it is concluded. In truth, I believe
it will not last long; [70] for the first impulse that
seizes some hot-headed fellow, at the remembrance
that one of his relations was killed by the Hiroquois,
will make him go and surprise one of them, and
treacherously assassinate him; and thus the war will
begin again. Fidelity cannot be expected from
people who have not the true Faith.
Le vingt-quatriesme du mesme mois grand nombre
d'Algonquains estans arriuez, ie m'en allay chercher
26
par leur[s] cabanes, vne petite fillette que i'auois baptisée,
& nommée Marguerite l'ã passé: sa mere me recogneut
bien, & me dit qu'elle estoit morte, c'est
autant de gaigné pour le Ciel, ie ne l'auois pas fait
Chrestienne qu'à fin qu'elle y allast. Cõme ie vins à
demãder des nouuelles du pere de cét enfant que i'auois
cõmencé d'instruire, vn Sauuage me respondit
qu'il estoit mort; à ceste [71] parole vne sienne fille
aagée de dix-huict à vingt ans, fit vn grand cry toute
éplorée; on me fit signe que ie ne parlasse point de
la mort, dont le seul nom leur semble insupportable.
On the twenty-fourth of the same month, a great
many Algonquains having arrived, I went through
their cabins, looking for a little girl I had baptized
and named Marguerite, the year before. Her mother
readily recognized me, and told me that she was
dead; that was so much gained for Heaven; I had
only made her a Christian that she might go there.
When I came to ask news of the father of the child
whom I had begun to instruct, a Savage told me that
he was dead; at this [71] answer, one of his daughters,
about eighteen or twenty years old, uttered a
loud cry and burst into tears; they made me a sign
that I should not speak of death, its very name
seeming to them unbearable.
Le vingt-neufiesme il arriua vne chose assez facetieuse,
que ie coucheray icy, pour faire veoir la simplicité
d'vn esprit qui ne cognoist point Dieu. Deux
Sauuages estans entrez en nostre Habitation, pendant
le Diuin Seruice, que nous faisions à la Chapelle, se
disoient l'vn à l'autre, Ils prient celuy qui a tout fait,
leur donnera-il ce qu'ils demandent? Or comme nous
tardions trop à leur gré, Asseurément, disoient-ils, il
ne leur veut pas donner: voyla ils crient tous tant
qu'ils peuuent (nous chantions Vespres pour lors).
Or vn ieune truchement venant à sortir, ils l'aborderent,
& [72] luy dirent, Hé bien! celuy qui a tout
fait, vous a-il accordé ce que vous demandiez? Ouy,
respond-il, nous l'aurons. Asseurémẽt, repartent-ils,
il ne s'en est gueres fallu qu'il ne vous ait éconduit;
car vous auez bien crié & bien chanté pour l'auoir:
nous disions à tous coups, que vous n'auriez rien;
mais encore que vous a-il promis? Ce ieune homme
soufriant, leur respondit, conformément à leur grande
attente, Il nous a promis que nous n'aurions point
faim: c'est la grande beatitude des Sauuages d'auoir
dequoy contenter leur ventre.
On the twenty-ninth, a rather amusing thing happened,
which I shall relate here to show the simplicity
of a mind that does not know God. Two Savages
having entered our Settlement during Divine
Service, which we were holding in the Chapel, said
to each other, "They are praying to him who made
all things; will he give them what they ask?" Now
as we were going rather slowly, according to their
ideas, "Certainly," they said, "he does not want to
give it to them, see how they are all shouting as
loud as they can," (we were singing Vespers at the
time). Now, as a young interpreter was going away,
they approached him and [72] said "Well, now, he
who made all things, has he granted what you ask?"
"Yes," he answered, "we shall get it." "Certainly,"
they replied, "he must have very nearly refused
you, for you have cried and sung so hard to get it;
we were saying all the time that you would not get
anything; but tell us now, what did he promise
you?" This young man, smiling, answered them
according to their expectations, "He promised us
that we should not be hungry." It is the highest
state of happiness for the Savages to have something
with which to satisfy their stomachs.
Le cinquiesme de Nouembre, i'allay veoir les reliquas
28
d'vne bonne-pallissade, qui a autrefois entouré
vne Bourgade, au lieu mesme où nos François ont
planté leur Habitation. Les Hiroquois ennemis de
ces Peuples ont tout bruslé; on voit encore [73] le
bout des pieux tous noirs; il y a quelques arpens de
terre défrichée, où ils cultiuoient du bled d'Inde.
I'espere qu'auec le temps nos Canadiens reprendront
cet exercice, qui leur sera autant profitable pour le
Ciel, que pour la terre; car s'ils s'arrestent, on aura
moyen de les instruire.
On the fifth of November, I went to see the remains
of a good palisade, which formerly surrounded
a Village in the very place where our French have
established their Abode. The Hiroquois enemies of
these Tribes have burned everything; there can still
be seen [73] the ends of the blackened stakes; there
are some arpents of cleared land, where they cultivated
Indian corn. I hope in the course of time our
Canadians will resume this industry, which will be
as profitable to them for Heaven as for earth; for, if
they stop their wanderings there will be opportunities
of instructing them.
Le septiesme on nous décriuit vne façon de dance
des Sauuages que nous n'auions point encore veuë.
L'vn d'eux commence, pendant que les autres chantẽt;
la chanson finie, il va donner le bouquet, c'est à
dire, qu'il va faire vn present à celuy qu'il veut faire
dancer apres soy; l'autre finissant la dance en fait de
mesme, & si nos François se trouuent auec eux, on
leur porte le bouquet & le present aussi bien qu'aux
autres.
On the seventh we had described to us a kind of
Savage dance that we had not yet seen. One of them
begins while the others sing; the song finished, he
goes and gives the bouquet, that is, he goes and
makes a present to the one whom he wishes to dance
after him; the other does the same thing when he
finishes the dance; and, if our French are with them,
they bring the bouquet and the present to our men
as well as to the others.
Le dix-huictiesme de ce mois, [74] tous les Sauuages
s'escarterent, qui deça, qui de là dans les bois,
pour aller pendant l'hyuer chercher l'Elan, le Cerf
& le Caribou, dont ils viuent; Si bien que nous demeurasmes
sans voisins, nos seuls François restans en
nostre nouuelle Demeure.
On the eighteenth of this month, [74] all the Savages
dispersed, some here and some there into the
woods, to go during the winter to hunt the Elk, the
Deer and the Caribou, upon which they live; so that
we were without neighbors, our French alone remaining
in our new Dwelling place.
Le trentiesme de Decembre la neige n'estant ny
assez dure ny assez profonde, pour arrester les grandes
iambes de l'Elan, vne troupe de ces pauures Barbares,
s'en vindrent crier misericorde en nostre Habitation;
la famine qui fut cruelle l'an passé les a encore
traicté plus rudement cet hyuer, du moins en
plusieurs endroits; on nous a rapporté que vers Gaspé
les Sauuages ont tué & mangé vn ieune garçon que
30
les Basques leur auoient laissé pour apprẽdre leur
langue. Ceux de Tadoussac auec lesquels i'hyuernay
il y a vn an, se sont mangez les vns les autres [75]
en quelques endroits. Monsieur du Plessis Bochart
montant à Kebec, nous a dit qu'il y en auoit encore
quelques-vns dans les bois, qui n'osoient paroistre deuant
les autres, à raison qu'ils ont meschamment surpris,
massacré, & mangé leurs compagnons. Nous
auons esté témoins de leur famine aux trois Riuieres:
ils venoient par bandes, tous défigurez, décharnez
comme des squelets, aymans, disoient-ils autant mourir
auprés des François, que dans leurs Forests: le
malheur pour eux, estoit, que comme ceste Habitation
ne faisoit que de commencer, il n'y auoit point
encore de magasins aux trois Riuieres, nos François
& nous n'ayans apporté de Kebec que les viures necessaires
pour le nombre des hommes qui y residoient:
nous nous efforçasmes pourtant de les secourir, chacun
de son costé leur [76] faisant la charité selon ses
forces, ou selon son affection, pas vn de ceux qui
vindrent vers nous ne mourut de faim.
On the thirtieth of December, the snow having
been neither hard nor deep enough to arrest the long
legs of the Elk, a troop of these poor Barbarians came
crying for pity at our Settlement; the famine, which
was cruel last year, has treated them still worse this
winter, at least in several places; we have heard a
report that, near Gaspé, the Savages killed and ate a
young boy whom the Basques left with them to learn
their language. Those of Tadoussac, with whom I
passed the winter a year ago, have eaten each other
[75] in some localities. Monsieur du Plessis Bochart,
on his way to Kebec, told us that there were still
some in the woods who do not dare appear before the
others because they had wickedly surprised, massacred,
and eaten their companions. We have been
witnesses to their famine at the three Rivers; they
came in bands, greatly disfigured and as fleshless as
skeletons, liking, they said, as well to die near the
French as in their own Forests; the misfortune for
them was that, as this Settlement was only in its first
stages, there was not yet a storehouse at three Rivers,
our French and we having brought from Kebec
only the food necessary for the number of men who
were residing there; we tried, however, to help
them, each on his side [76] exercising charity according
to his means, or according to his inclinations;
not one of those who came to us died of hunger.
Le Pere Buteux & moy entrans dans vne cabane,
vne femme nous dit, qu'il n'estoit resté qu'elle & sa
compagne, de tous ceux auec lesquels elles auoient
hyuerné dans les bois. On a trouué des Chasseurs
roides morts sur la neige, tuez du froid & de la faim,
entre autres, celuy qui auoit pris le prisonnier Hiroquois
duquel i'ay parlé cy dessus.
When Father Buteux and I entered a certain cabin,
a woman told us that no one remained but she and
her companion, of all those with whom they had wintered
in the forest. Hunters had been found stiff
in death upon the snow, killed by cold and starvation,—among
others, the one who had taken prisoner
the Hiroquois of whom I have spoken above.
Vn Sauuage me dit dans ceste famine, que sa
femme & sa belle sœur estoient en deliberation de
tuer leur propre frere: I'en demanday la raison, nous
craignons, fit-il, qu'il ne nous assomme pendant nostre
sommeil pour nous manger. Nous vous apportons,32
luy dis-je, tous les iours vne partie de nos viures [77]
pour vous secourir. Cela est vray, respond-il, tu
nous donne la vie, mais cét homme est à demy fol;
il ne mange point, il a quelque méchant dessein, nous
le voulons preuenir, en seras-tu marry? Ie me trouuay
vn peu en peine, de consentir à sa mort, ie ne
pouuois: ie croyois d'ailleurs qu'ils auoient iuste occasion
de craindre. Nous luy donnasmes conseil de
ne point laisser de haches ny d'espees en sa cabane,
sinon celle dont il auroit à faire, laquelle il poseroit
sous sa teste en dormant; il s'accorda à cela, & nous
donna ses haches & ses espees, pour les emporter en
nostre chambrette. A trois iours de là ce pauure miserable
s'en alla à Kebec, où ayant voulu tuer quelque
François, Monsieur le Gouuerneur recognoissant sa
folie, le fit enchaisner pour le rendre aux premiers
Sauuages qui [78] viendroient.
A Savage told me, during this famine, that his
wife and sister-in-law contemplated killing their own
brother; I asked him why, "We are afraid," he replied,
"that he will kill us during our sleep, to
eat us." "We supply you," said I, "a part of our
food every day [77] to help you." "That is true,"
he replied, "thou givest us life; but this man is
half-mad; he does not eat, he has some evil design;
we wish to prevent him, wilt thou be displeased at
that?" I found myself a little troubled; I could not
consent to his death, and yet I believed they had
good cause for their fear. We advised him not to
leave any hatchets or javelins in his cabin, except
one which he would have to use, and he should place
that under his head when he was sleeping; he agreed
to this, and gave us his hatchets and javelins, to put
them away in our little room. Three days later, this
poor wretch went to Kebec, where, having tried to
kill some Frenchman, Monsieur the Governor, seeing
that he was mad, had him put in chains, to surrender
him to the first Savages that [78] might come
along.
Or ces allées & venuës des Sauuages affamez ont
duré quasi tout l'hyuer; nous faisions ordinairement
quelque festin de pois & de farine boüillie à toutes
les nouuelles bandes; i'en ay veu tel d'entre-eux qui
en mangeoient plus de huict escuellées, deuant que
de sortir de la place.
Now these comings and goings of famished Savages
lasted almost all winter; we usually made a
little feast of peas and boiled flour for all the new
bands, and I have seen certain ones among them eat
more than eight bowlfuls of this before leaving the
place.
Pendant qu'on leur preparoit le banquet, nous leur
parlions de Dieu, nous leur representions leurs miseres;
ils auoient tous la meilleure volonté du monde
de cultiuer au Printemps, ce qu'ont fait quelques vns:
mais ils ne demeurerent pas assiduëment auprés de
leurs bleds d'Inde, les abandonnans pour aller pescher,
qui deça, qui delà.
While the banquet was being prepared, we talked
to them about God, we represented to them their
poverty; they all had the best intentions in the world to
cultivate the land in the Spring, as some of them
have done; but they did not remain constantly near
their Indian corn,—abandoning it to go fishing,
some in one direction, some in another.
Quand aux propositions que nous leur faisions de
croire en Dieu, l'vn d'eux me dit vn iour. Si nous
[79] croyons en vostre Dieu, neigera-il? Il neigera,
34
luy dis je. La neige sera-elle dure & profonde? Elle
le sera. Trouuerõs nous des Orignaux? Vous en
trouuerez. Les tuerons nous? Ouy; Car comme
Dieu sçait tout, qu'il peut tout, & qu'il est tres bon,
il ne manquera pas de vous assister, si vous auez recours
en luy, si vous receuez sa Foy, & luy rendez
obeyssance. Ton discours est bon, repart-il, nous
penserons à ce que tu nous as dit. Cependant ils s'en
vont dans les bois, & mettẽt bien-tost en oubly ce
qu'on leur a dit: Il est bien vray qu'à la parfin on
fera quelque impression sur leur esprit, s'il n'est plus
dure que la pierre qui se caue par des gouttes d'eau.
As to the proposals we make to them to believe in
God, one of them said to me one day, "If we [79]
believe in your God, will it snow?" "It will snow,"
I said to him. "Will the snow be hard and deep?"
"It will be." "Shall we find Moose?" "You will
find them." "Shall we kill some?" "Yes; for as
God knows all things, as he can do all things, and as
he is very good, he will not fail to help you, if you
have recourse to him, if you receive the Faith, and if
you reader him obedience." "Thy speech is good,"
answered he, "we will think upon what thou hast
told us." Meanwhile, they go off into the woods,
and soon forget what has been said to them. It is
indeed true that, in the end, some impression will
be made upon their minds, if they are not harder
than the stone hollowed out by drops of water.
Vne autrefois ayant vn assez long-temps discouru
sur nostre creance à vne escouade, qui s'en retournoit
chercher dequoy nourrir [80] leurs femmes & leurs
enfans, ie leur conseillay, au cas qu'ils ne peussent
rien trouuer, de se mettre à genoux, & de s'addresser
à celuy qui a fait le Ciel & la terre, de luy promettre
qu'ils croiront en luy, s'il les vouloit secourir: ils me
promirent qu'ils le feroient; nous leur presentasmes à
cet effect vne petite Image de nostre Seigneur Iesus-Christ,
& les aduertismes de la façon qu'ils la deuoient
placer dans leur[s] grandes necessitez, des prieres
qu'ils deuoient faire à celuy qu'elle representoit, leur
donnant bonne esperãce qu'ils seroient secourus. Ie
mis cette Image entre les mains d'vn nommé Sakapouan,
dont i'ay fait mention cy-dessus. Il me promit
qu'il feroit de point en point ce que nous luy
auions ordonné: mais le miserable ne tint pas sa
promesse; car il n'osa iamais produire ceste Image,
de [81] peur d'estre gaussé de ses Compagnons, voire
mesme il se rioit auec les autres de ce que nous leur
auions presché. Aussi Dieu le chastia-il, car il tomba
36
malade, & fut contraint de venir rechercher les François;
nous luy redemandasmes l'Image & la rendit.
Interrogé pourquoy il n'auoit point prié le Fils du
Tout-puissant, Ie m'en estois allé, respond-il, auec
bonne volonté de le prier, i'auois conceu vne bonne
esperance, qu'il nous donneroit à manger, i'auois
mesme retenu la meilleure de toutes les oraisons que
tu nous as enseigné: mais estant arriué à nos cabanes,
i'ay eu peur que si ie produisois l'Image, qu'on ne
s'en moquast, & que celuy qui a tout fait ne se faist
chast cõtre moy, & nous fist mourir. En vn mot le
respect humain retiẽt ce peuple. I'eus beau luy dire,
que s'il eust esté fidele dans [82] ces gausseries, s'il
n'eust point adheré à ces mocqueurs, que Dieu l'auroit
puissamment assisté, Il faut, dit-il, parler à nos Capitaines.
Et en effet qui les auroit gaignez, il auroit
tout gagné. Ie reuiens tousiours sur mes brisées, qui
sçauroit parfaictement la langue pour les accabler
de raisons, & pour refuter promptement leurs niaiseries,
seroit bien puissant parmy eux. Le temps apportera
tout, & Dieu donnant sa benediction, Populus qui
est in tenebris videbit lucem magnam.
Another time, having talked a long time upon our
belief with a squad of them, who had returned to
seek food for [80] their wives and children, I advised
them, in case they could not find anything, to fall
upon their knees and to address themselves to him
who has made Heaven and earth, to promise him they
would believe in him if he would relieve them; they
promised that they would do so; we gave them for
this purpose a little Image of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and instructed them in the way in which they were
to place it in the time of their great need, and in
some prayers they were to make to him whom it represented,
giving them strong hope that they would
be helped. I placed this Image in the hands of a
certain one named Sakapouan, of whom I have spoken
above. He promised me that he would do everything
just as we had directed; but the wretch did
not keep his promise, for he never dared produce this
Image, lest [81] he should be sneered at by his Companions;
yes, he even laughed with the others about
what we had preached to them. And indeed God
chastised him, for he fell sick and was obliged to
come seeking the French; we asked for the Image
and he returned it. When asked why he had not
prayed to the Son of the All-powerful, "I went
away," he replied, "with the good will to pray to
him; I felt a strong hope that he would give us something
to eat, I had even kept in mind the best of all
the prayers thou hast taught us; but, when I arrived
at our cabins, I was afraid that if I brought out the
Image they would make sport of me, and that he
who has made all would be angry with me, and make
us die." In one word, these people are restrained
by worldly considerations. It was in vain I told
him that if he had been faithful in [82] the midst of
these mockeries, if he had not clung to these mockers,
God would have given him powerful assistance;
"It is necessary," he said "to talk to our Captains."
And, in fact, one who could gain them could gain
all. I am always retracing my footsteps, in saying,
that one who knew the language perfectly, so that
he could crush their reasons and promptly refute
their absurdities, would be very powerful among
them. Time will bring all things; God giving his blessing,
Populus qui est in tenebris videbit lucem magnam.
Or pour vuider tout cét article; ie demanday à ce
Sauuage, quelle estoit ceste Oraison qu'il preferoit
aux autres. Tu nous dis plusieurs choses, me fit-il,
mais ceste priere m'a semblé la meilleure de toutes.
Mirinan oukachigakhi nimitchiminan: donne nous auiourd'huy
nostre nourriture: donne nous à manger;
[83] voyla vne excellente Oraison, disoit-il. Ie ne m'estonne
pas de ceste Philosophie; Animalis homo, non
percipit ea quæ sunt Spiritus Dei. Qui n'a iamais esté
qu'à l'escole de la chair, ne sçauroit parler le langage
de l'esprit.
Now to end this whole story, I asked this Savage
what this Prayer was that he preferred to all others.
"Thou hast told us many things," he replied; "but
this prayer has seemed to me the best of all: Mirinan
oukachigakhi nimitchiminan, 'Give us to-day our
food, give us something to eat.' [83] This is an excellent
Prayer," he said. I am not surprised at this
Philosophy; Animalis homo, non percipit ea quæ sunt
Spiritus Dei. He who has never been at any school
but that of the flesh, cannot speak the language of
the spirit.
38
Le vingt-septiesme du mesme mois de Ianuier vn
Sauuage me vint apprendre vn secret bien cogneu
des Algonquains, mais non pas des Montagnais; aussi
n'est-il pas de ce pays-cy, ains de bien auant dans
les terres. Il me dit donc, que si quelqu'vn de nos
François vouloit l'accompagner, qu'il s'en iroit pescher
sous la glace d'vn grand estang, placé à quelque
cinq mille pas au delà de la grande Riuiere, vis-à-vis
de nostre Habitation. Il y alla en effet, & rapporta
quelques poissons; ce qui consola fort nos François:
car ils peuuent maintenant au plus fort [84] des
glaces, tendre des rets dans cét estang. I'ay veu
ceste pesche: voicy comme ils s'y comportent. Ils
sont à grands coups de hache vn trou assez grandelet
dans la glace de l'estang; ils en font d'autres plus
petits, d'espaces en espaces, & auec des perches ils
passent vne fiscelle de trous en trous par dessous la
glace: ceste fiscelle aussi longue que les rets qu'on
veut tendre, se va arrester au dernier trou, par lequel
on tire, & on estend dedans l'eau toute la rets qui luy
est attachée. Voyla comme on tend les filets pour la
premiere fois, quand on les veut visiter, il est fort
aisé: car on les retire par la plus grande ouuerture,
pour en recueillir le poisson, puis il ne faut que retirer
la fiscelle pour les retendre, les perches ne seruans
qu'à passer la première fois la fiscelle. Quand
Dieu aura beny ces contrées d'vne peuplade de François,
[85] on trouuera mille biens, & mille commoditez
sur le pays, que ces Barbares ignorent.
On the twenty-seventh of the same month of January
a Savage came to acquaint me with a secret well
known among the Algonquains, but not among the
Montagnais; neither is it known in this part of the
country, but farther into the interior. He told me
that, if some one of our Frenchmen would accompany
him, he would go and fish under the ice of a
great pond, located some five thousand paces beyond
the great River, opposite our Settlement. One of
them did, in fact, go there, and brought back some
fish, which greatly comforted our French people, for
they can now, in the thickest [84] ice, stretch their
nets in this pond. I have seen them fish in this way;
now see how they do it. With great blows of the
axe they make a tolerably large hole in the ice of the
pond; then at intervals they make other smaller
ones, and by the use of poles they pass a cord from
hole to hole under the ice; this cord, which is as
long as the nets they wish to stretch, stops at the last
hole, through which it is drawn, and they spread
out in the water the whole net which is attached to
it. This is the way they spread the nets the first
time. When they wish to examine them, it is very
easily done, for they draw them out through the
largest opening, to collect the fish from them; then
it is only necessary to draw back the cord to respread
the nets, the poles serving only to put the cord
through the first time. When God has blessed these
countries with a colony of French, [85] there will result
a thousand benefits and a thousand conveniences for
the country, of which these Barbarians are ignorant.
Le sixiesme de Feurier la grande Riuiere fut gelée
tout à fait, en sorte qu'on passoit dessus en asseurance;
elle gela mesme deuant Kebec, ce qui est fort
extraordinaire, à raison que les marées sont là fort
40
violentes. Il me semble que la rigueur de l'hyuer
s'est fait sentir particulièrement en ce mois cy.
On the sixth of February, the great River was
completely frozen over, so that one could walk over
it in safety; it even froze opposite Kebec, which is
very extraordinary, as the tides there are very strong.
It seems to me that the severity of the winter makes
itself especially felt during this month.
Le huictiesme de Mars mourut ceste femme Sauuage
nommée Anne, dont i'ay parlé au Chapitre second:
cõme les douleurs de la mort approchoient,
elle disoit par fois toute seule, nitapoueten, nitapoueten,
Ie croy, ie croy, nisadkihau, nisadkihau. Ie l'ayme,
ie l'ayme: ouaskoucki nioui itoutan. Ie veux aller au
Ciel: & vne fois elle me dit, comme ie la quittois,
après l'auoir instruite & [86] visitée en sa maladie;
Tu m'as seruy de père iusques icy, continuë iusques
à ma mort, qui ne tardera pas; retourne moy voir au
plustost, & si tu me vois si bas, que ie ne puisse parler,
souuienne toy que ie penseray tousiours à ce que
tu m'as dit, & que ie croiray tousiours en mon cœur.
Vn Sauuage m'ayant informé qu'elle n'estoit point
de ce pays-cy, ie l'interrogeay quelques iours deuant
sa mort de sa patrie: elle me dit, que ceux de sa Nation
s'appelloient ouperigoue ouaouakhi, qu'ils habitoiẽt
bien auant dans les terres plus bas que Tadoussac, de
mesme costé; qu'on pouuoit par des fleuues descendre
de leur pays dans la grande riuiere de sainct Laurens;
que ses Compatriotes n'auoient aucun commerce auec
les Europeans; c'est pourquoy, disoit-elle, ils se seruent
de haches de pierres; qu'ils ont des [87] Cerfs,
& des Castors en abondance, mais fort peu d'Elans;
qu'ils parlent le langage Montagnais, & qu'ils ne
manqueroient de venir à la traitte auec les François,
n'estoit que les Sauuages de Tadoussac les veulent
tuer quand ils les rencontrent. Ie ne sçay si ce ne
sont point ceux que nous appellons Bersiamites, dont
quelques-vns ont esté cruellement massacrez cette année
à Tadoussac. Ces perfides Sauuages les accueillirent
42
fort humainement, & quand ils les eurent en leur
puissance, ils les mirent à mort traistreusement.
On the eighth of March occurred the death of the
Savage woman named Anne, of whom I have spoken
in Chapter second; as the anguish of death approached,
she said at times to herself, nitapoueten, nitapoueten,
"I believe, I believe;" nisadkihau, nisadkihau,
"I love him, I love him;" ouaskoucki nioui itoutan,
"I wish to go to Heaven;" and once she said to
me, as I was leaving her after having instructed
and [86] visited her in her sickness; "Thou hast been
a father to me up to the present; continue so until
my death, which will not be long; come back and see
me very soon, and if thou seest me so low I cannot
speak, remember that I shall always think of what
thou hast said to me, and that I shall always believe
in my heart." As a Savage had informed me that
she did not belong to this region, I asked her a few
days before her death about her native country: she
told me that the people of her Nation were called
ouperigoue ouaouakhi, that they dwelt farther back in
the interior, below Tadoussac, and on the same side;
that they could descend through the rivers from their
country to the great river saint Lawrence; that her
Countrymen had no commerce with the Europeans;
"that is why," she said, "they use hatchets made
of stone;" that they have [87] Deer and Beavers in
abundance, but very few Elk; that they speak the
Montagnais language, and that they would certainly
come and trade with the French, were it not that the
Savages of Tadoussac try to kill them when they encounter
them. I do not know whether these are the
ones that we call Bersiamites, some of whom have
been cruelly massacred this year at Tadoussac. These
perfidious Savages received them very kindly, and,
when they had them in their power, treacherously
put them to death.
Le cinquiesme d'Auril vn Sauuage Montaignais
vint rapporter au Pere Buteux, que nos Peres, & nos
François qui les accompagnoient auoient esté delaissez
dans les bois, & liez à des arbres par les Hurons
qui les menoient en leur pays, lesquels [88] s'estans
trouuez mal d'vne certaine epidemie qui affligea l'Automne
passé toutes ces Nations, creurent que ceste
maladie leur estoit causée par les François, ce qui les
auoit reduits à les traitter de la sorte, & ce sauuage
asseuroit auoir appris ceste nouuelle de la bouche de
quelques Bissiriniens, voisins des Hurons. Nous remismes
toute ceste affaire entre les mains de N. Seigneur,
qui prendra nos vies dans les temps, & dans
les occasions qu'il luy plaira. Nous auiõs desia appris,
comme i'escriuy l'an passé des mauuaises nouuelles
du P. Anthoine Daniel qu'on nous faisoit quasi
mort: mais en fin la bonté de Dieu nous a consolez;
car la pluspart de ces bruits se sont trouuez faux. Il
est vray que le Pere Daniel, & tous les autres, ont
souffert incomparablement en leur voyage, comme V.
R. pourra veoir [89] par la Relation du Pere Brebeuf.
On the fifth day of April, a Montaignais Savage
came to report to Father Buteux that our Fathers
and our Frenchmen who accompanied them had been
abandoned in the woods and tied to trees, by the
Hurons who were taking them to their country,—who,
[88] falling ill with a certain epidemic which
last Autumn afflicted all these Nations, believed that
this malady was caused by the French, and it was
this which made them treat the French in this way;
this savage declared that he had heard the news
from the lips of some Bissiriniens, neighbors of the
Hurons. We placed the whole matter in the hands
of Our Lord, who will take our lives at the time and
in the manner that shall please him. We had already
learned, as I wrote last year, the bad news
about Father Anthoine Daniel, who had been reported
to us as almost dead; but at last the goodness
of God has comforted us, for most of these reports
are found to be false. It is true that Father Daniel
and all the others have endured incomparable sufferings
in their voyage, as Your Reverence can see [89]
by the Relation of Father Brebeuf.
Le quatorziesme du mesme mois, toutes les glaces
estant parties, ie m'embarquay dans vn canot auec
vn de nos François, & vn Algonquain, pour aller
veoir ce beau lac ou estang, dont i'ay parlé cy dessus,
que i'auois veu tout glacé pendant l'hyuer. En chemin
ie vis la chasse du Rat musqué; cét animal a vne
fort longue queuë, il y en a de gros comme des lapins:
quand il[s] paroissent sur l'eau les Sauuages les
suiuent dans leurs petits canots; aussi-tost ces Rats se
44
voyant poursuiuis se plongent en l'eau, & leurs ennemis
s'en vont viste, où ils preuoyent qu'ils reuiendront
au dessus pour prendre haleine: bref ils les
poursuiuent tant qu'ils les lassent, en sorte qu'ils sont
contraints de rester quelque tẽps au dessus de l'eau,
pour n'estre suffoquez: alors ils les [90] assomment
auec leurs auirons, ou les tuent à coups de fleches.
Quand cét animal a gaigné la terre, il se sauue ordinairement
dans son trou. On l'appelle Rat musqué,
pource qu'en effect vne partie de son corps prise au
Printemps sent le musc, en autre temps elle n'a point
d'odeur.
On the fourteenth of the same month, as the ice
was completely broken up, I embarked in a canoe
with one of our Frenchmen and an Algonquain, to
go and see the beautiful lake or pond of which I
have spoken above, and which I had seen all frozen
over during the winter. On the way, I saw a Muskrat
hunt. Some of these animals are as large as rabbits;
they have very long tails. When they appear
upon the water, the Savages follow them in their
little canoes; these Rats, upon seeing themselves pursued,
immediately dive into the water, their enemies
hurrying quickly to the place where they expect
them to come up again to take breath; in short, they
pursue them until they are tired out, so that they
must remain above the water a little while, in order
not to suffocate; then they [90] knock them down
with their paddles, or kill them with arrows. When
this animal has gained the land, it usually saves itself
by hiding in its hole. It is called Muskrat because,
in fact, a part of its body smells of musk, if
caught in the Spring,—at other times, it has no odor.
Le vingt-vniesme, ie partis des trois Riuieres pour
venir à Kebec, afin de m'y trouuer, selon le desir de
nos Peres, à la venuë des vaisseaux. Nous les attendions
de bonne heure, ils sont venus bien tard, le
mauuais temps leur a causé vne rude trauerse; nous
esperions de les veoir sur la fin de May, & nous n'en
auons eu nouuelle que le vingt-cinquiesme de Iuin;
auquel temps arriua vn canot enuoyé de Tadoussac,
qui rapporta qu'vn vaisseau estoit à l'Isle du Bic, &
qu'il en venoit encore cinq ou six, auec bonne [91]
deliberation de combattre tous ceux qu'ils trouueroient
dans la Riuiere sans Commission.
On the twenty-first, I left three Rivers to come
to Kebec, in order to be there, according to the wish
of the Fathers, at the coming of the ships. We expected
them early, but they came very late, the bad
weather having caused them to have a rough passage;
we hoped to see them towards the end of May, and
we had no news of them until the twenty-fifth of
June, when a canoe arrived, sent from Tadoussac,
which reported that a ship was at the Island of Bic,
and that five or six more of them were coming, with
the firm [91] determination to attack all those they
found in the River without Commissions.
Le quatriesme de Iuillet, vne chalouppe enuoyée
de la part de Monsieur du Plessis Bochart, general de
la flotte, resioüit tous nos Frãçois, & nous asseura de
sa venuë, & qu'il estoit suiuy de huict forts nauires,
six pour Tadoussac, & deux pour Mifcou, sans ce que
l'on enuoyoit au Cap Breton, & coste de l'Acadie à
Mr le Com. de Razilly.
On the fourth of July, a shallop sent from Monsieur
du Plessis Bochart, commandant of the fleet,
gladdened all our French,—assuring us of his coming,
and that he was followed by eight strong ships,
six for Tadoussac and two for Miscou, not including
the one sent to Cape Breton and the coast of Acadia,
to Monsieur the Commandant de Razilly.
Le dixiesme vne barque montant en haut, nous apporta
le Pere Pijart. A mesme temps deux de nos
François descendant des Hurons, nous presenterent
46
les lettres de nos Peres qui sont en ce pays-là; c'estoit
nous réjoüyr de toutes parts. D'vn costé le Pere
nous témoignoit que V. R. nous enuoyoit 4. de nos
Peres, & 2. de nos Freres pour renfort, [92] & deux
autres Peres pour la Residẽce de S. Charles. Qu'vne
infinité de personnes cherissoient ceste Mission, & que
V. R. toute pleine de cœur, nous donneroit tous les
ans autant d'ouuriers Euangeliques, que la Mission en
pourroit nourrir; l'ardeur de venir souffrir quelques
choses en ces contrées pour la gloire de nostre Seigneur,
estant quasi incroyable. D'autre costé la sãté de
nos Peres dans les Hurons, où on les faisoit morts, les
bonnes dispositions de ces Peuples, pour receuoir les
veritez Chrestiennes; l'affection qu'ils nous portent,
nous faisoit benir le sainct Nom de Dieu, & luy rendre
graces de tant de benedictions, qu'il va respandant sur
ceste entreprise.
On the tenth, a bark which was ascending the
river brought us Father Pijart.8 At the same time,
two of our Frenchmen, coming down from the Hurons.
presented to us the letters of our Fathers who
are in that country; so we received cheering news
from all sides. On the one hand, the Father testified
to us that Your Reverence was sending us 4 of
our Fathers, and 2 of our Brothers, as a reinforcement,
[92] and two other Fathers for the Residence of St.
Charles; that a vast number of people cherished this
Mission, and that Your Reverence, in the fulness of
your heart, would every year give as many Gospel
workers as the Mission could support; the zeal to
come and suffer something in these countries for the
glory of our Lord, being almost incredible. On the
other hand, the good health of our Fathers among
the Hurons, where they were reported dead, and the
good disposition of those Peoples to receive the Christian
truths, and the affection they bear us, make us
bless the holy Name of God, and render him thanks
for so many blessings as he is about to pour down
upon this enterprise.
Le douziesme, Monsieur le Cheualier de la Roche-Iacquelin,
commandant le nauire nommé le Sainct [93]
Iacques, vint moüiller l'ancre deuant Kebec. Nostre
Frere Pierre Feauté l'ayant remercié de sa bienueillance,
nous vint veoir en nostre petite Maison de nostre
Dame des Anges. Le lendemain nostre ioye s'accreut
par la venuë du Père Claude Quantin & de nostre
Frere Pierre Tellier, portez dans le vaisseau du Capitaine
de Nesle.
On the twelfth, Monsieur the Chevalier de la
Roche-Jacquelin, commandant of the ship called
"Sainct [93] Jacques," cast anchor before Kebec.
Our Brother Pierre Feauté,9 having thanked him for
his kindness, came to see us in our little House of
nostre Dame des Anges. The next day our joy was
increased by the arrival of Father Claude Quantin10
and of our Brother Pierre Tellier, who were brought
in the ship of Captain de Nesle.
Le vingtiesme, Monsieur le General nous rendit le
Pere le Mercier, qu'il amena dans sa barque; tous
ces iours nous estoient des iours de ioye & de contentement,
voyant & nos François & nos Peres en bonne
santé, apres beaucoup de tourmente sur la mer.
On the twentieth, Monsieur the General conveyed
to us Father Mercier,11 whom he had brought in his
bark. All these days were for us days of joy and
contentment, seeing both our French and our Fathers
in good health after much suffering upon the
sea.
Le vingt-deuxiesme de Iuillet se fit vne Assemblée
ou vn Conseil entre les François & les Hurons. Le
48
Pere Buteux qui estoit descendu de la Residence de
la Conception, & moy [94] y assistasmes. Apres les
affaires communes, Monsieur de Champlain nostre
Gouuerneur, recommanda auec vne affection energigue
nos Peres, & les François qui les accompagnoient
à ces Peuples; il leur fit dire, que s'ils vouloient
conseruer & accroistre l'amitié qu'ils ont auec
les François, qu'il falloit qu'ils receussent nostre creance,
& adorassent le Dieu que nous adorons; que
cela leur seroit grandement profitable: car Dieu pouuant
tout, les benira, les protegera, leur donnera la
victoire contre leurs ennemis; que les François iront
en bon nombre en leur Pays; qu'ils épouseront leurs
filles quand elles seront Chrestiennes: qu'ils enseigneront
à toute leur nation à faire des haches, des cousteaux,
& autres choses qui leur sont fort necessaires,
& qu'à cet effet ils deuroient dés l'an prochain [95]
amener bon nombre de leurs petits garçons, que nous
les logerons bien, que nous les nourrirons, & que
nous les instruirons & cherirons comme s'ils estoient
nos petits Freres. Et pour autant que tous les Capitaines
ne pouuoient des descendre en bas, qu'ils tiendroient
Conseil sur ce sujet en leur Pays, auquel ils
appelloient Echom, c'est ainsi qu'il[s] appellent le Pere
Brebeuf: & là dessus leur donnant vne lettre pour luy
porter, il adiousta: Voicy que i'informe le Pere de
tous ces points. Il se trouuera en vostre Assemblée,
& vous fera vn present que ses Freres luy enuoyent:
là vous ferez paroistre si veritablement vous aymez
les François. I'auois suggeré ces pensées à Monsieur
nostre gouuerneur qu'il approuua; mais encore il les
amplifia auec mille loüanges & mille tesmoignages
d'affectiõ enuers nostre [96] Compagnie. Monsieur
50
le General prit aussi la parole sur ce sujet, & fit tout
son possible pour donner à cognoistre à ces Peuples,
l'estime que sont les grands Capitaines de France des
Peres qu'on leur enuoye; & tout cela pour les disposer
à recognoistre le Dieu des François, & de tout
l'Vniuers. A ce discours vn Capitaine repartit, qu'ils
ne manqueroient pas de rendre ceste lettre, & de tenir
Conseil sur les Articles proposez. Qu'au reste
que toute leur Nation aymoit tous les François, &
qu'il sembloit neantmoins, que les François n'aymoient
qu'vne seule de leurs Bourgades, puisque
tous ceux qui montoient en leur Pays la prenoient
pour leur demeure. On leur respondit, que iusques
icy ils n'auoient eu qu'vn petit nombre de nos François,
& que s'ils embrassoient nostre creance, qu'ils
en auroient [97] en toutes leurs Bourgades.
On the twenty-second of July, there was held an
Assembly or Council between the French and the
Hurons. Father Buteux, who had come down from
the Residence of the Conception, and I [94] participated
therein. After public affairs, Monsieur de
Champlain, our Governor, very affectionately recommended
our Fathers, and the French who accompanied
them, to these Tribes; he told them, through
an interpreter, that if they wished to preserve and
strengthen their friendship with the French, they
must receive our belief and worship the God that we
worshiped; that this would be very profitable to
them, for God, being all-powerful, will bless and
protect them, and make them victorious over their
enemies; that the French will go in goodly numbers
to their Country; that they will marry their daughters
when they become Christians; that they will
teach all their people to make hatchets, knives, and
other things which are very necessary to them; and
that for this purpose they must next year [95] bring
many of their little boys, whom we will lodge comfortably,
and will feed, instruct and cherish as if
they were our little Brothers. And that, inasmuch
as all the Captains could not come down there, they
should hold a Council upon this matter in their Country,
to which they should summon Echom,—it is
thus they call Father Brebeuf;12
and then, giving
them a letter to bear to him, he added, "Here I inform
the Father of all these points. He will be in
your Assembly, and will make you a present that his
Brothers send him; there you will show whether
you truly love the French." I suggested these
thoughts to Monsieur our governor, and he approved
them; but he also amplified them with a thousand
praises and a thousand proofs of affection towards
our [96] Society. Monsieur the General also said a
few words upon this subject, and did all he could to
let these Peoples know the high estimation in which
the great Captains of France hold these Fathers that
they send over to them; and all this was done to dispose
them to recognize the God of the French and of
the whole Universe. To this discourse a Chief replied
that they would not fail to deliver this letter,
and to hold a Council upon the Matters proposed.
That, as to the rest, their whole Nation loved all the
French; and yet, notwithstanding this, the French
loved only one of their Villages, since all those who
had come up to their Country selected that as their
dwelling place. They were answered that, up to the
present, they had had only a few of our Frenchmen;
and that, if they embraced our belief, they would
have some of them [97] in all their villages.
Au sortir du Conseil nous allasmes veoir ceux qui
voudroient embarquer le P. le Mercier & le Pere Pijart
auec leur petit bagage, pour les porter en leur
Pays: le Pere Brebeuf m'en auoit assigné quelquesvns
dans ses lettres, mais plusieurs se presentoient;
ils regardoient les Pères attentiuement, les mesuroient
de leurs yeux, ils demandoient s'ils n'estoient
point meschants, s'ils rameroient bien, ils les prenoient
par les mains, & leur faisoient signe qu'il faudroit
bien remuer l'auiron.
At the conclusion of the Council, we went to see
those who were to take on board Father le Mercier
and Father Pijart, with their little baggage, to convey
them into their Country; Father Brebeuf had designated
certain ones to me in his letter, but several
presented themselves. They gazed attentively at
the Fathers, measured them with their eyes, asked
if they were ill-natured, if they paddled well; then
took them by the hands, and made signs to them
that it would be necessary to handle the paddles well.
En fin le vingt-troisiesme du mesme mois de Iuillet
nos Sauuages bien contens, embarquerent nos deux
Peres, & vn ieune garçon François, qui a desia passé
vne année dans le pays: iamais ie ne vy personnes
plus ioyeuses que ces bons Peres, on les fit mettre
pieds nuds à l'entrée [98] de leur nauire d'escorce,
52
de peur de les gaster, ils s'y mettent gayement, portans
vn œil, & vn visage tout ioyeux, dans les souffrances
qu'ils vont rencontrer. Ie me represente vn
S. André volant à la Croix; on les separa en trois canots;
celuy qui portoit le Pere Pijart estant le premier
prest tira droit au bord, c'est à dire au vaisseau
de Monsieur le Cheualier, pour luy donner le dernier
adieu, & le remercier encore vne fois, des courtoisies
fort particulieres qu'il auoit receu de luy, passant
dans son nauire depuis la France iusques à Tadoussac.
Apres l'auoir salüé Monsieur le Cheualier fit ietter
des pruneaux dãs son canot pour les Sauuages qui le
menoient, & fit tirer trois volées de canon par honneur.
Ces pauures Barbares tressailloiẽt d'aise, mettant
la main sur leur bouche en signe d'estonnement.
At last, on the twenty-third of the same month of
July, our Savages, well pleased, embarked our two
Fathers and a young French boy who has already
passed a year in the country. I never saw persons
more joyful than were these good Fathers; they had
to go barefooted into the [98] bark ships, for fear of
spoiling them, and they did this gayly, with glad
eyes and faces, notwithstanding the sufferings they
were about to encounter. I was reminded of St. Andrew
flying to the Cross. They were taken in three
different canoes; the one that carried Father Pijart
being the first ready, it went directly alongside, that
is, of the ship of Monsieur the Chevalier, to say to
him his last adieus and to thank him once more for
very especial courtesies received from him while
crossing in his ship from France to Tadoussac.
After having saluted him, Monsieur the Chevalier
had some prunes thrown into his canoe for the Savages
who were taking him, and had the cannon fired
off three times in his honor. These poor Barbarians
were thrilled with delight, placing their hands over
their mouths as a sign of astonishment.
[99] Le Pere le Mercier vint apres dans son canot,
pour recognoistre les obligations qu'il a à Monsieur
le General, & prendre congé de luy; il ne sçauoit en
quels termes nous tesmoigner le soin qu'il a des nostres,
qui passent auec luy dans son vaisseau. Apres
les adieux, on ietta aussi des prunes à ses conducteurs,
le canon du vaisseau & de la barque, faisant entendre
aux Sauuages, qu'ils deuoient auoir grand soin de
ceux que nos Capitaines François honoroient auec
tant d'affection.
[99] Father le Mercier came afterward in his canoe,
to acknowledge the obligations he was under to
Monsieur the General, and to take leave of him; the
latter did not know how to express the interest he
felt in those of our society who had come over with
him in his ship. After the farewells, they also threw
some prunes to his boatmen, the cannon of the ship
and of the bark making these Savages understand
that they must take good care of those whom our
French Captains honored with so much affection.
Il arriua vne chose plaisante en ces entrefaites, le
Pere Buteux en mesme temps remontoit aux trois
Riuieres dans vn canot, les Sauuages qui le conduisoient,
voyans l'accueil qu'on faisoit aux Peres, & aux
Sauuages qui alloient aux Hurons, tirerent comme
auoient fait [100] les deux autres canots au vaisseau
où estoit Monsieur le General, & Monsieur le Cheualier.
Le Pere Buteux leur crie, Ce n'est pas là où il
faut aller, ie ne vay pas aux Hurons. Il n'importe,
54
puis qu'on faisoit là du bien à ceux qui portoient nos
Peres, ceux-cy en vouloient gouster aussi bien que
les autres; aussi leur fit on la mesme courtoisie.
In the midst of these ceremonies a laughable incident
occurred. Father Buteux was starting at the
same time to return to the three Rivers in a canoe;
the Savages who were taking him, seeing the honors
bestowed on the Fathers and the Savages who were
going to the Hurons, turned, as [100] the other two
canoes had done, to the ship where Monsieur the
General and Monsieur the Chevalier were. Father
Buteux called to them, "You must not go there; I
am not going to the Hurons." It did not matter;
since favors had there been bestowed upon those who
were taking our Fathers, these wished to taste some
of them, as well as the others; so they were shown
the same courtesy.
Le premier iour d'Aoust le Pere Buteux m'escriuit
des trois Riuieres, ou il estoit allé, comme i'ay dit,
que les Sauuages Montaignais auoient esleu vn nouueau
Capitaine, celuy qu'ils auoient auparauant nõmé
Capitanal estant mort dés l'Automne passé: ce Capitanal
estoit vn homme de bon sens, grand amy des
François; assemblant les Principaux de sa Nation à
la mort, il leur enioignit de conseruer cette bonne
[101] intelligence auec ses amis, leur disant que pour
preuue de l'amour qu'il nous portoit, qu'il desiroit
encore apres sa mort demeurer auec nous, & sur
l'heure il se fit rapporter de delà le grand fleuue où
il estoit, pour mourir auprés de la nouuelle Habitation.
Il demanda aussi qu'il fust porté en terre par
les mains de nos François, ausquels il destina vn petit
present; bref il supplia, qu'on luy donnast sepulture
auprés de ses amis. Tout cela luy fut accordé,
Monsieur de Champlain a fait mettre vne petite
closture à l'entour de son tombeau, pour le rendre
remarquable. Si nous eussions esté pour lors aux
trois Riuieres, ie ne doute point qu'il ne fust mort
Chrestien: I'ay vn grand regret à la mort de cét
homme: car il auoit témoigné en plein Conseil, que
son dessein estoit d'arrester ceux [102] de sa Nation
aupres du fort de la riuiere d'Anguien; il m'en auoit
aussi donné parole en particulier, il estoit aymé des
siens & des François: c'est ce Capitaine qui rauit il y
a deux ans tous ses auditeurs en vne Harangue, dont
ie fis mention pour lors. S'il viuoit encore, il fauoriseroit
sans doute ce que nous allons entreprendre ce
56
Printemps, pour les pouuoir rendre sedentaires petit
à petit.
On the first day of August, Father Buteux wrote
me from the three Rivers,—where he had gone, as
I have said,—that the Montaignais Savages had
elected a new Captain, the one whom they had formerly
called Capitanal having died the previous
Autumn. This Capitanal was a man of good sense,
and a great friend of the French. Assembling the
Principal Men of his Nation at the time of his death,
he charged them to preserve this good [101] understanding
with his friends, telling them that, as a
proof of the love he bore us, he would like, even
after death, to live with us; and he straightway had
himself carried from beyond the great river, where
he was, to die near the new Settlement. He also
asked to be borne to the grave by the hands of our
French, for whom he designated a little present; in
short, he begged that he might be buried near his
friends. All this was granted him; Monsieur de
Champlain has had a little enclosure placed around
his grave, to distinguish it. If we had then been at
three Rivers, I do not doubt that he would have
died a Christian. I was very sorry when this man
died; for he had shown in open Council that his purpose
was to have the people [102] of his Nation settle
near the fort of the Anguien river;13 he had spoken
to me also about this in private. He was loved by
his people and by the French; it was this Captain
who delighted all his hearers by a Speech he made
two years ago, which I mentioned at the time. If
he still lived, he would without doubt favor what
we are going to undertake this Spring, to be able
to make them, little by little, a sedentary people.
Comme ainsi soit que ces pauures Barbares soient
dés long temps accoustumez à estre faineants, il est
difficile qu'ils s'arrestent à cultiuer la terre, s'ils ne
sont secourus. Nous auons donc dessein de voir, si
quelque famille veut quitter ses courses; s'il s'en
trouue quelqu'vne, nous employerons au renouueau
trois hommes à planter du bled d'Inde, proche de la
nouuelle Habitation [103] des trois Riuieres, où ce
peuple se plaist grandement. Si cette famille s'arreste
pendant l'hyuer, nous la nourrirons de bled de
nostre recolte & de la sienne; car elle mettra aussi la
main à l'œuure: si elle ne s'arreste point nous retirerons
nostre part, & la laisserons aller.
As it happens that these poor Barbarians have
been for a long time accustomed to be idlers, it is
hard for them to locate and cultivate the soil unless
they are assisted. Our plan now is to see if some
family is not willing to give up these wanderings; if
one be found, we will in the spring employ three
men to plant Indian corn near the new Settlement
[103] at the three Rivers, with which these people
are greatly pleased. If this family settles there during
the winter, we will maintain them with corn
from our harvest and from theirs, for they will also
work; if they do not stay with us, we will withdraw
our assistance and let them go.
Ce seroit vn grand bien, & pour leurs corps, & pour
leurs ames, & pour le trafique de ces Messieurs, si ces
Nations estoient stables, & si elles se rẽdoient dociles
à nostre direction; ce qu'elles feront comme i'espere
auec le temps. S'ils sont sedentaires, & s'ils cultiueut
la terre, ils ne mourront pas de faim comme il
leur arriue souuent dans leurs courses; on les pourra
instruire aisément, & les Castors se multiplieront
beaucoup; ces animaux sont plus feconds que nos
brebis de France, [104] les femelles portent iusques
à cinq & six petits chaque année: mais les Sauuages
trouuans vne cabane tuent tout, grands & petits, &
masles & femelles: il y a danger qu'en fin ils n'exterminent
tout à fait l'espece en ces Pays, comme il en
est arriué aux Hurons, lesquels n'ont pas vn seul
Castor, allans traitter ailleurs les pelleteries qu'ils
apportẽt au Magazin de ces Messieurs. Or on fera en
58
sorte que nos Montaignais, auec le temps, s'ils s'arrestent,
que chaque famille prenne son cartier pour
la chasse, sans se ietter sur les brisees de ses voisins:
de plus on leur conseillera de ne tuer que les masles,
& encore ceux qui seront grands. S'ils goustent ce
conseil, ils auront de la chair & des peaux de Castor
en tres-grande abondance.
It would be a great blessing for their bodies, for
their souls, and for the traffic of these Gentlemen, if
those Tribes were stationary, and if they became
docile to our direction, which they will do, I hope,
in the course of time. If they are sedentary, and if
they cultivate the land, they will not die of hunger,
as often happens to them in their wanderings; we
shall be able to instruct them easily, and Beavers
will greatly multiply. These animals are more prolific
than our sheep in France, [104] the females
bearing as many as five or six every year; but, when
the Savages find a lodge of them, they kill all, great
and small, male and female. There is danger that
they will finally exterminate the species in this Region,
as has happened among the Hurons, who have
not a single Beaver, going elsewhere to buy the skins
they bring to the storehouse of these Gentlemen.
Now it will be so arranged that, in the course of
time, each family of our Montaignais, if they become
located, will take its own territory for hunting, without
following in the tracks of its neighbors; besides,
we will counsel them not to kill any but the males,
and of those only such as are large. If they act upon
this advice, they will have Beaver meat and skins
in the greatest abundance.
Quant aux hommes que nous desirons employer
pour l'assistance [105] des Sauuages, Monsieur de
Champlain nous a promis qu'il nous en accommoderoit
de ceux qui sont en l'habitation des trois Riuieres,
à raison que ne faisant point défricher pour nous là
haut, nous n'y tenons point d'hommes, mais deux
Peres tant seulement qui ont soin du salut de nos
François. Nous satisferons pour les gages, & pour
la nourriture de ces ouuriers, à proportion du temps
que nous les occuperons à défricher & cultiuer auec
les Sauuages: si i'en pouuois entretenir vne douzaine,
ce seroit le vray moyen de gaigner les Sauuages: Nostre
Seigneur pour lequel nous entrons dans ce dessein
la veille benir par sa bonté, & ouurir les oreilles à ce
pauure Peuple abandonné.
As to the men whom we wish to employ for the
assistance [105] of the Savages, Monsieur de Champlain
has promised us that he would let us have those
who are at the settlement of the three Rivers; for,
as they have not cleared any land there for us, we
do not keep any workmen there, but merely two Fathers
who care for the religious needs of our French.
We will arrange for the wages and food of these
workmen, according to the time we shall employ
them in clearing and cultivating the land with our
Savages; if I had the means of supporting a dozen,
this would be the true way to gain the Savages. May
Our Lord, for whom we enter into this project, bless
it through his goodness, and open the ears of these
poor abandoned People.
Le dixiesme de ce mois le Pere Masse, & le Pere
Buteux nous écriuent [106] de la Residence de la Conception,
que le bruit est la haut, que les Hiroquois
ont défait sept canots de la petite Nation des Algonquains;
si cela est la paix dont i'ay parlé cy-dessus est
desia rompuë: Car nos Montagnais alliez des Algonquains
suiuront leur party.
On the tenth of this month, Father Masse and Father
Buteux wrote me [106] from the Residence of
the Conception that it was reported there that the
Hiroquois had destroyed seven canoes of the petite
Nation of the Algonquains;14 if this be true, the
peace, of which I have spoken above, is already
broken, for our Montagnais allies of the Algonquains
will take sides with them.
On m'a rapporté, ie ne sçay s'il est vray, qu'vn certain
Sauuage nommé la Grenoüille, qui fait icy du
Capitaine, a dit que les Hiroquois, auec lesquels il
auoit traitté la paix, les ont incité à tuer quelques
Hurons, & de prendre guerre auec eux.
I have heard a report, I do not know how true it
is, that a certain Savage named "the Frog" [la Grenoüille],
who acts as Captain here, has said that the
Hiroquois, with whom he had made a treaty of peace,
have incited them to kill some of the Hurons, and
to make war against them.
60
Les plus auisez croient que c'est vne ruse de ceux
qui traittent auec ces Peuples, & qui s'efforcent par
leur entremise, de diuertir les Hurons de commerce
qu'ils ont auec nos François; ce qui arriueroit, si nos
Montagnais leur faisoient la [107] guerre, & alors ils
les attireroient à leurs Habitations, d'où s'ensuiuroit
vn tres-notable detrimẽt pour Messieurs les Associez
de la Compagnie de la Nouuelle France.
Those best informed believe that this is a ruse of
those who trade with these Tribes, and who are
striving to divert, through their agency, the Hurons
from their commerce with our French; which would
happen if our Montagnais made [107] war against
them; and then they [the traders] would attract them
to their Settlements, and there would result a very
considerable injury to the Associated Gentlemen of
the Company of New France.
Le dix-septiesme du mesme mois d'Aoust, le Pere
de Quen arriua à Kebec dans vne chalouppe, qu'enuoyoit
le Capitaine Bontemps pour donner aduis de
sa venuë à Tadoussac. Or comme on a veu ceste année
les glaces espouuantables sur la mer; vne entre
autres de trente à quarante lieuës, d'autres disent de
soixante lieuës d'estenduë; vn Pilote m'a asseuré
qu'ils la costoierent trois iours & trois nuits ayans vn
assez bon vent en poupe, & qu'en quelques endroits
elle auoit des campagnes toutes rases, & en d'autres
elle se releuoit en collines, & en hautes montagnes.
De plus on a veu quelques vaisseaux Turcs, au sortir
[108] de la Manche, & quelques nauires degradez
voguer en mer çà & là sans vergues & sans voiles,
qu'on croit auoir esté pris de ces infideles, lesquels
abandonnent souuent les vaisseaux qu'ils rauissent,
apres auoir enleué tout ce qui est dedans. Comme
disie tous ces bruits couroient, nous auions tous perdu
l'esperance de veoir le Capitaine Bontemps, la saison
de voguer icy se passant; c'est pourquoy sa venuë
inesperée a causé d'autant plus de ioye, qu'on eust
esté marry qu'vn si braue Capitaine & vn si bel equipage
se fust perdu. Le Pere de Quen nous raconta
l'occasion de leur retardement, & nous donna sujet
de loüer Dieu, qui les a tiré des ombres de la mort,
62
les sauuant d'vn naufrage qui sembloit ineuitable.
On the seventeenth of the same month of August,
Father de Quen15 arrived at Kebec in a shallop which
Captain Bontemps sent to give the news of his arrival
at Tadoussac. Now as frightful icebergs have
been seen this year upon the sea,—among others,
one from thirty to forty, others say sixty leagues in
extent, so large that a Pilot has assured me that he
coasted along it for three days and three nights having
a fair wind astern, and that in some places it had
level plains, in others it rose into hills and high
mountains: and since some Turkish vessels had
been seen sailing out [108] of the English Channel,
and some damaged ships floating here and there
on the sea without masts and without sails,—which
are believed to have been captured by those infidels,
who often abandon ships which they plunder, after
having robbed them of all they contain:16 now as all
these reports were being circulated, we had all lost
hope of seeing Captain Bontemps, the season for
sailing to this country having passed. It was this
that made his unexpected arrival give us all the
more joy, for we would have been sorry if so brave
a Captain and so fine a crew had been lost. Father
de Quen related to us the cause of their delay, and
gave us reason to thank God, who drew them back
from the shades of death, saving them from a shipwreck
which seemed inevitable.
Le vingt-sixiesme du mesme mois [109] vn ieune
homme qui est passé en la Nouuelle France, comme
Soldat volontaire dans le vaisseau commãdé par Monsieur
le Cheualier de la Roche Iacquelin, a abiuré publiquement
les erreurs de Caluin, & embrassé les veritez
Chrestiennes & Catholiques. Monsieur le Cheualier
le voyant d'vn assez bon naturel, & l'ayant disposé
à nous prester l'oreille, prit la peine luy-mesme de
l'amener en nostre petite Maison, où par apres il
m'est venu trouuer plusieurs fois luy tout seul, pour
conferer auec moy; en fin apres luy auoir éclaircy les
principaux points de nostre creance, il a voulu reporter
à l'Ancienne France, le thresor de la verité que Dieu
luy a fait trouuer en la Nouuelle.
On the twenty-sixth of the same month [109] a
young man who came over into New France as a
volunteer Soldier, in the ship commanded by Monsieur
the Chevalier de la Roche Jacquelin, publicly
abjured the errors of Calvin, and embraced the
Christian and Catholic truths. Monsieur the Chevalier,
seeing he had a very good disposition, and having
inclined him to lend us an ear, himself took the
trouble to bring him to our little House, where he
afterwards came to see me several times alone, to
confer with me. Finally, after having enlightened
him upon the principal points of our belief, he desired
to carry back to Old France the treasure of
truth which God had led him to find in the New.
Le vingt-septiesme du mesme mois, nous auons veu
sur les neuf [110] heures du soir ou enuiron vne
grande éclypse de Lune, laquelle à mon aduis n'aura
paru en France que sur les deux ou trois heures apres
minuit.
On the twenty-seventh of the same month, we
saw, towards nine [110] o'clock in the evening or
thereabout, a great eclipse of the Moon, which in my
opinion did not appear in France until two or three
hours after midnight.
Mais il est temps d'arrester ma plume, laquelle ne
pourra pas cette année respondre à plusieurs lettres,
qu'vne barque qui descend à Tadoussac nous apportera
apres le depart des vaisseaux. Il arriue par fois,
soit par oubliance ou autrement, qu'on nous rend les
lettres quand la flotte a desia fait voile, ce qui fait
qu'on ne peut enuoyer les responses la mesme année.
Pour nos Francois, & pour nos Peres qui sont au pays
des Hurons, on ne doit attendre la response des lettres
qu'on leur enuoye de France que deux ans apres:
voire mesme si on nous donne icy les lettres qu'on
leur adresse [111] pour leur faire tenir, apres le depart
des Hurons qui ne descendent à Kebec qu'vne fois
64
l'an, les responses ne seront portées en France qu'au
bout de trois ans. I'ay donné cét aduis tout exprés,
pour nous excuser enuers plusieurs personnes qui
nous font l'honneur de nous escrire, & qui ne voyent
point de réponses la mesme année, & quelques-fois
n'en voyent point du tout, les lettres ou les responses
se perdans dans vne si grande longueur de temps &
de chemin. Ie prie Dieu que celles-cy arriuent à
bon port auec toute la flotte, elles porteront à vostre
Reuerence, pour derniere conclusion, vne supplication
tres-humble de se souuenir à l'Autel, & à l'Oratoire
de nos pauures Sauuages, & de nous tous qui
sommes ses enfans, & de moy particulierement [112]
qui en ay plus de besoin que les autres, & qui me
diray auec vostre permission, ce que ie suis,
Mon R. P.
Elle nous permettra, s'il luy plaist, d'implorer
les prieres de tous nos Peres & de tous nos
Freres de sa Prouince, ce que nous faisons encore
tous tant que nous sommes, moy qui suis
En la Residence de nostre
Dame des Anges, proche
Kebec, en la Nouuelle
France, ce 28. d'Aoust
1635.
Vostre tres-humble, &
tres-obligé seruiteur en
nostre Seigneur,
Pavl le Ievne.
ET
- P. Charles l'Allemant.
- P. Iean Brebeuf.
- P. Iean Daniel.
- P. Ambroise d'Auost.
- P. Anne de Noüe.
- P. Enemond Masse.
- P. Antoine Richard.
- P. François Mercier.
- P. Charles Turgis.
- P. Charles du Marché.
- P. Claude Quantin.
- P. Iacques Buteux.
- P. Iean de Quen.
- P. Pierre Pijart.
66
Et nos Freres Gilbert Burel, Iean Liegeois, Pierre
le Tellier, Pierre Feauté.
But it is time to drop my pen, which will not be
able this year to answer several letters that a bark
which goes down to Tadoussac will bring us after
the departure of the ships. It sometimes happens,
either from forgetfulness or for some other reason,
that they deliver the letters after the fleet has already
set sail, so that we cannot send the answers the same
year. As to our Frenchmen and our Fathers who
are in the country of the Hurons, answers to letters
sent from France should not be expected until two
years afterwards; indeed, even if letters addressed to
them are given to us here [111] to hold for them,
after the departure of the Hurons, who come down
to Kebec only once a year, the answers will not be
carried to France until the end of three years. I
have given this information purposely, so as to excuse
ourselves to persons who have done us the honor
of writing to us, and who do not get their answers
the same year, and sometimes do not get them at
all, the letters or the replies being lost in so great a
lapse of time and so long a journey. I pray God that
these may arrive safely, together with all the fleet;
they will bear to your Reverence, as a final conclusion,
a very humble supplication to remember, at the
Altar and in the Oratory, our poor Savages, and all
of us who are your children,—especially me, [112]
who have more need of it than the others, and who
will call myself, with your permission, what I am,
My Reverend Father,
You will permit me, if you please, to implore
the prayers of all our Fathers and of all our
Brothers in your Province,—as, moreover, do
all of us,—I who am,
At the Residence of nostre
Dame des Anges, near
Kebec, in New-France,
this 28th of August,
1635.
Your very humble and
greatly obliged servant
in our Lord,
Paul le Jeune.
AND
- Father Charles l'Allemant.
- Father Jean Brebeuf.
- Father Jean Daniel.
- Father Ambroise d'Avost.
- Father Anne de Noüe.
- Father Enemond Masse.
- Father Antoine Richard.17
- Father François Mercier.
- Father Charles Turgis.18
- Father Charles du Marché.19
- Father Claude Quantin.
- Father Jacques Buteux.
- Father Jean de Quen.
- Father Pierre Pijart.
And our Brothers Gilbert Burel, Jean Liegeois,20
Pierre le Tellier, Pierre Feauté.
Enuoyée à Kebec au Pere le Ieune, par le P. Brebeuf.
Mon R. Pere,
C'est pour vous rendre compte de nostre
voyage en ce Pays des Hurons, lequel a esté
remply de plus de fatigues, de pertes & de cousts que
l'autre, mais aussi qui a esté suiuy & le sera, Dieu
aidant, de plus de benedictions du Ciel.
Sent to Kebec to Father le Jeune, Father Brebeuf.
My Reverend Father,
I send you an account of our journey into
this Huron Country. It has been filled with
more fatigues, losses and expenses than the other,
but also has been followed, and will be, God aiding,
by more of Heaven's blessings.
[114] Dés que l'an passé mil six cens trente quatre,
nous arriuasmes aux trois Riuieres, où se faisoit la
traitte, nous-nous trouuasmes dans plusieurs difficultez
& perplexitez. Car d'vn costé il n'y auoit qu'onze
canots de Hurons pour nous embarquer dix personnes
que nous estions de surcroist, & qui pretendions aller
en leur Pays. D'autre costé on estoit extremement
en doute s'il en descendroit cette année là d'autres,
attendu le grand eschet qu'ils auoient receu en guerre
par les Hiroquois, nommez Sonontrerrhonons au Printemps
dernier, & la crainte qu'ils auoient d'vne nouuelle
armée. Cela nous mettoit fort en doute, si
nous deuions prendre l'occasion d'aller telle qu'elle
s'offroit, ou en attendre vne meilleure.
[114] When last year, one thousand six hundred
and thirty-four, we arrived at the three Rivers,
where the trading post was, we found ourselves in
several difficulties and perplexities. For, on the one
hand, there were only eleven Huron canoes to embark
our ten additional persons who were intending
to go into their Country. On the other, we were
greatly in doubt whether any others would descend
this year, considering the great loss they had experienced
in war with the Hiroquois, named Sonontrerrhonons,21
last Spring, and the fear they had of a new invasion.
This placed us much in doubt whether we
ought to take advantage of the opportunity which
was presented, or wait for a better one.
En fin tout bien consideré nous [115] resolusmes de
tenter fortune, iugeans qu'il importoit du tout, d'auoir
vn pied dans le Pays, afin d'en ouurir la porte,
qui sembloit estroittement fermée à la Foy. Cette
resolution fut encore plus aisée que l'execution, qui
70
parauanture eust esté impossible sans le soin, la faueur
& la liberalité de Monsieur du Plessis Bochard
General de la flotte: car incõtinent après son arriuée,
qui fut le cinquiesme Iuillet 1634. il fit tenir Conseil
auec les Bissiriniens, ausquels il proposa le dessein
qu'il auoit d'enuoyer quelques-vns auec eux, & de
nous ioindre aux Hurons. Ils en firẽt plusieurs difficultez,
& l'vn des Capitaines de l'Isle nommé la Perdrix
par dessus tous; neantmoins les raisons & les
presens les gagnerent.
At last, after full consideration, we [115] resolved
to try our fortune, judging that it was of vital importance
to have a footing in the Country in order to
open the door which seemed firmly closed to the
Faith. This resolution was far easier than the execution
of it, which perchance would have been impossible
without the care, the favor, and the liberality
of Monsieur du Plessis Bochard, General of the
fleet. For immediately after his arrival, which was
on the fifth of July, 1634, he held a Council with the
Bissiriniens, to whom he proposed the plan he had
of sending some men with them, and of joining us
to the Hurons. They made several objections, and
one of the Chiefs of the Island, named "the Partridge"
[la Perdrix],22 more than all the rest; nevertheless,
arguments and presents won them over.
Le lendemain matin l'Assemblée se fit de rechef, par
le commandement [116] de Monsieur du Plessis Bochard,
où les Bissiriniens & les Hurons se trouuerent.
Le mesme dessein leur fut representé; mais pour respect
les vns des autres ils resolurẽt tous ensemble de
n'embarquer aucun François, & n'y eut pour lors
aucune raison qui les peust fléchir. Surquoy nostre
entreprise sembloit encore estre rompuë pour ce coup;
mais au depart de l'Assemblée vn des Attiguenongha,
me tirant à quartier, me dit que ie l'allasse veoir en
sa cabane. Là il me fait entendre que luy & son
camarade en embarqueroient trois; ie respons que
nous ne pouuions aller moins de cinq, sçauoir nous
trois, & deux de nos hommes.
The next morning, the Assembly met again, by
the command [116] of Monsieur du Plessis Bochard,
and both the Bissiriniens and the Hurons were present.
The same plan was again presented to them;
but out of respect for one another they all agreed not
to embark any Frenchmen; and no arguments could,
for the time being, move them. Thereupon our enterprise
seemed again cut off, by this action. But,
at the close of the Assembly, one of the Attiguenongha,23
drawing me aside, asked me to visit him in his
cabin. There he gave me to understand that he and
his companion would embark three of us. I replied
that we could not go unless five went, namely, we
three and two of our men.
Sur cela les Arendarhonons s'estant eschauffez à
nous embarquer, nous trouuasmes place pour six; si
bien que nous resolusmes de [117] partir, & laisser les
deux petits garçons que nous deuions mener iusqu'à
quelque autre occasion: aussi tost nous distribuasmes
nos pacquets, & fismes des presens à vn chacun pour
les encourager, & le lendemain septiéme du mois,
Mr du Plessis Bochard leur en fit encore d'autres, en
consideration seulement de ce qu'ils nous embarquoiẽt,
& les festoya tous ensemble d'vn festin de
72
trois grandes chaudieres. Mais la contagion qui a
couru l'année passée parmy tous ces Peuples, auec de
grands rauages, ayant en vn instant saisi plusieurs
de nos Sauuages, & remply tout le reste de peur, nous
causa derechef vne grande confusion, & nous mit en
de grandes peines, veu qu'il falloit partir sur le
champ. Nos six canots estans reduits à trois, & nos
deux Peres & moy nous trouuans desembarquez;
[118] il me falloit chercher de nouueaux hommes;
reprendre nostre petit equipage; deliberer qui s'embarqueroit,
& qui demeureroit; choisir entre nos pacquets
ceux que nous porterions, & donner ordre pour
le reste, & tout cela en moins de demye-heure, où il
eust esté besoin des iournées entieres. Neantmoins
recognoissans bien que nostre embarquement estoit
vn coup de partie pour le Ciel, nous pensasmes qu'il
falloit y faire tous nos efforts, pour resister à ceux de
l'ennemy commun du salut des hommes, que nous
ne doutions nullement s'estre meslé dans cét affaire.
I'y fis tout mõ pouuoir, nous redoublasmes les presens,
nous diminuasmes nostre petit bagage, & prismes
seulement ce qui concernoit le sainct Sacrifice de la
Messe, & ce qui estoit absolument necessaire pour la
vie. Monsieur [119] du Plessis y interposa son authorité,
Monsieur Oliuer & Monsieur Coullart leur industrie,
& tous les François leur affection. Cependant
ie vis par plusieurs fois tout renuersé & desesperé,
iusqu'à ce que i'eus particulierement recours à
nostre Seigneur Iesvs,
pour l'vnique gloire duquel
nous entreprenions ce penible voyage, & que i'eus
fait vn vœu au glorieux sainct Ioseph nouueau Patriarche
des Hurons. Car aussi-tost ie vis tout se calmer,
& nos Sauuages si contens, que ceux qui embarquerent
74
le Pere Daniel l'auoient desia mis dans leur
canot, & sembloit qu'ils l'alloiẽt emmener, sans auoir
encore receu la paye ordinaire. Mais ledit Pere voyant
qu'ils n'auoient point de capots comme les autres,
sort du canot, m'en aduertit, & ie leur en fais donner.
Thereupon the Arendarhonons24
became eager to
embark us; we found place for six, and so we resolved
to [117] set out, and leave until some other
time the two little boys we were to take. We began
to distribute our baggage, and made presents to each
one, to encourage them; and on the morrow, the
seventh of the month, Monsieur du Plessis Bochard
gave them still others, on the single consideration
that they would embark us, and feasted all of them
at a great feast of three large kettles. But the contagion
which spread among all these Tribes last year,
with great destruction, having suddenly seized several
of our Savages, and filled the rest with fear,
again threw us into confusion, and put us to great
trouble, seeing that we had to set out immediately.
Our six canoes being reduced to three, and our two
Fathers and I being disembarked, [118] I had to find
new men, to unload our slender baggage, to decide
who should embark and who should remain, to choose
among our packages those we were to carry, and to
give orders as to the rest,—and all this in less than
half an hour, when we would have needed entire
days. Nevertheless, recognizing clearly that our
embarkment was a decisive stroke for Heaven, we
thought it necessary to put forth our utmost energies
to resist the efforts of the common enemy of man's
salvation, who, we doubted not, was mixed up in
this matter. I therefore did everything I could; we
doubled the presents, we reduced the amount of our
baggage, and took only what belonged to the holy
Sacrifice of the Mass, and what was absolutely necessary
for life. Monsieur [119] du Plessis interposed
his authority, Monsieur Oliver and Monsieur Coullart
their ingenuity, and all the Frenchmen their
affection. Yet several times I was completely baffled
and desperate, until I had special recourse to
our Lord Jesus, for whose glory alone we were undertaking
this painful journey, and until I had made
a vow to glorious saint Joseph, the new Patriarch of
the Hurons. Immediately I saw everything become
quiet, and our Savages so satisfied that those who
embarked Father Daniel had already placed him in
their canoe, and it seemed as if they were going to
take him without even receiving the ordinary pay.
But the Father, seeing that they had not cloaks like
the others, stepped out of the canoe, told me about
it, and I had some given to them.
En fin donc apres auoir briéuement [120] remercié
Mr du Plessis, luy auoir recommandé l'embarquement
du reste de nos gens, si l'occasion se presentoit, & luy
auoir dit adieu, & à tous nos François: Ie m'embarquay
auec le Pere Antoine Daniel, & vn de nos
hommes; les deux autres venoient auec les Algonquains.
Monsieur du Plessis honora nostre depart de
plusieurs canonnades, afin de nous rendre encore plus
recommandables à nos Sauuages. Ce fut le septiesme
Iuillet. Le P. Ambroise Dauost s'embarqua huict
iours apres auec deux autres de nos gens. Le reste
suiuit huict iours apres, pour prendre sa part des fatigues
d'vn voyage tres fascheux, non seulement à
raison de sa longueur, & de la mauuaise chere qu'on
y fait, mais encore pour les circuits qu'il faut faire
de Kebec iusques icy par les Bissiriniens & la petite
Nation; ie [121] croy qu'il y en a pour plus de trois
cens lieuës. Il est vray que le chemin est plus court
par le Saut de S. Louys, & par le Lac des Hiroquois,
mais la crainte des ennemis, & le peu de commodité
qui s'y rencontre, en rẽd le passage desert. De deux
difficultez ordinaires, la premiere est celle des sauts
& portages. Vostre Reuerence a desia assez veu de
sauts d'eau vers Kebec, pour sçauoir ce qui en est:
toutes les riuieres de ces Pays en sont pleines, & notamment
la riuiere de S. Laurens, depuis qu'on a
passé celle des Prairies. Car de là en auant elle n'a
plus son lit égal, mais se brise en plusieurs endroits,
76
roulant & sautant effroyablement, à guise d'vn torrent
impetueux, & mesmes en quelques endroits elle
tombe tout à coup de haut en bas, de la hauteur de
plusieurs brasses. Ie me souuenois [122] en passant
des Catadoupes du Nil, à ce qu'en disent nos Historiens.
Or quand on approche de ces cheutes ou torrens,
il faut mettre pied à terre, & porter au col à
trauers les bois, ou sur de hautes & facheuses roches,
tous les pacquets & les canots mesmes. Cela ne se
fait pas sans beaucoup de trauail, car il y a des portages
d'vne, de deux & de trois lieuës, ioint qu'il faut
en chacun faire plusieurs voyages, si on a tãt soit peu
de pacquets. En quelques endroits, qui ne sont pas
moins rapides que ces portages; mais neantmoins
plus aisez à l'abord, les Sauuages entrans dans l'eau,
trainent & conduisent à la main leurs canots, auec
d'extremes peines & dangers; car ils en ont par fois
iusques au col, si bien qu'ils sont contraints de quitter
prise, & se sauuer comme ils peuuent de la rapidité
de l'eau, qui emporte & [123] leur arrache le canot.
Cela est arriué à vn de nos François, qui demeura
seul dans le canot, tous les Sauuages l'ayans laissé
aller au gré du torrent mais son adresse & sa force luy
sauuerent la vie, & le canot aussi, auec tout ce qui
estoit dedans. I'ay supputé le nombre des portages,
& ie trouue que nous auons porté trente cinq fois, &
traisné pour le moins cinquante. Ie me suis quelquefois
meslé d'aider à mes Sa[u]uages: mais le fond de
la riuiere est de pierres si tranchantes, que ie ne pouuois
marcher long-temps estant nuds pieds.
At last, then, after having briefly [120] thanked
Monsieur du Plessis, having entrusted to him the
embarkation of the rest of our people, if opportunity
presented itself, and having bid him and all our
Frenchmen adieu, I embarked with Father Antoine
Daniel and one of our men; the two others were
coming with the Algonquains. Monsieur du Plessis
honored our departure with several volleys, to recommend
us still more to our Savages. It was the
seventh of July. Father Ambroise Davost embarked
eight days later, with two others of our people.
The rest followed eight days after, to take their part
in the fatigues of a journey extremely wearisome,
not only on account of its length and of the wretched
fare to be had, but also on account of the circuits that
have to be made in coming from Kebec to this place
by way of the Bissiriniens and the petite Nation; I
[121] believe that they amount to more than three
hundred leagues. It is true the way is shorter by
the Saut de St. Louys and the Lake of the Hiroquois;
but the fear of enemies, and the few conveniences
to be met with, cause that route to be unfrequented.
Of two ordinary difficulties, the chief is that of the
rapids and portages. Your Reverence has already
seen enough of the rapids near Kebec to know what
they are. All the rivers of this Country are full of
them, and notably the St. Lawrence after that of the
Prairies25 is passed. For from there onward it has
no longer a smooth bed, but is broken up in several
places, rolling and leaping in a frightful way, like an
impetuous torrent; and even, in some places, it falls
down suddenly from a height of several brasses. I
remembered, [122] in passing, the Cataracts of the
Nile, as they are described by our Historians. Now
when these rapids or torrents are reached, it is necessary
to land, and carry on the shoulder, through
woods or over high and troublesome rocks, all the
baggage and the canoes themselves. This is not
done without much work; for there are portages of
one, two, and three leagues, and for each several
trips must be made, no matter how few packages
one has. In some places, where the current is not
less strong than in these rapids, although easier at
first, the Savages get into the water, and haul and
guide by hand their canoes with extreme difficulty
and danger; for they sometimes get in up to the
neck and are compelled to let go their hold, saving
themselves as best they can from the rapidity of the
water, which snatches [123] from them and bears off
their canoe. This happened to one of our Frenchmen
who remained alone in the canoe, all the Savages
having left it to the mercy of the torrent; but
his skill and strength saved his life, and the canoe
also, with all that was in it. I kept count of the
number of portages, and found that we carried our
canoes thirty-five times, and dragged them at least
fifty. I sometimes took a hand in helping my Savages;
but the bottom of the river is full of stones, so
sharp that I could not walk long, being barefooted.
La deuxiesme difficulté ordinaire est pour le viure;
souuent il faut ieusner, si l'on vient à perdre les
caches qu'on a faites en descendant, & quand on les
78
retrouue, on ne laisse pas d'auoir bon appetit apres
s'y estre traicté. Car le manger ordinaire n'est que
d'vn peu de bled d'Inde [124] cassé assez grossierement
entre deux pierres, & quelquefois tout entier
dans de l'eau pure. Cela n'est pas de grand goust.
Quelquesfois on a du poisson, mais c'est hazard,
excepté quand on passe quelque Nation où l'on en
peut acheter. Adioustez à ces difficultez, qu'il faut
coucher sur la terre nuẽ, ou sur quelque dure roche,
faute de trouuer dix ou douze pieds de terre en quarré
pour placer vne chetiue cabane; qu'il faut sentir incessammẽt
la puanteur des Sauuages recreus, marcher
dãs les eaux, dãs les fanges, dans l'obscurité &
l'embaras des forests, où les piqueures d'vne multitude
infinie de mousquilles & cousins vous importunent
fort.
The second ordinary difficulty, is in regard to provisions.
Frequently one has to fast, if he misses the
caches that were made when descending; and, even
if they are found, one does not fail to have a good
appetite after indulging in them; for the ordinary
food is only a little Indian corn [124] coarsely broken
between two stones, and sometimes taken whole in
pure water; it is no great treat. Occasionally one
has fish, but it is only a chance, unless one is passing
some Tribe where they can be bought. Add to these
difficulties that one must sleep on the bare earth, or
on a hard rock, for lack of a space ten or twelve feet
square on which to place a wretched hut; that one
must endure continually the stench of tired-out Savages;
and must walk in water, in mud, in the obscurity
and entanglement of the forest, where the
stings of an infinite number of mosquitoes and gnats
are a serious annoyance.
Ie laisse à part vn long & ennuyeux silence où l'on
est reduit. I'entends pour les nouueaux qui n'ont
par fois en leur compagnie personne de leur langue,
& ne sçauent [125] celle des Sauuages. Or ces difficultez
comme elles sont ordinaires, aussi nous ont elles
esté communes auec tous ceux qui viennent en ces
Pays. Mais en nostre voyage nous en auons eu tous
d'extraordinaires. La premiere a esté qu'il nous a
fallu continuellement ramer, ny plus ny moins que
les Sauuages: de sorte que ie n'auois le loisir de reciter
mon Breuiaire sinon à la couchée, lors que i'eusse
eu plus de besoin de repos que de trauail. L'autre a
esté qu'il nous falloit porter nos pacquets, és portages,
ce qui nous estoit aussi dur que nouueau, & encore
plus aux autres qu'à moy, qui sçait desia vn peu ce
que c'est que de fatigue. A chaque portage il me
falloit faire au moins quatre voyages, les autres n'en
80
faisoiẽt gueres moins. I'estois desia venu aux Hurõs
vne autre fois, mais ie n'auois point manié [126] l'auiron,
ny porté de fardeaux non plus que les autres
Religieux, qui auoient aussi fait le mesme chemin.
Mais en ce voyage il nous a fallu tous commencer par
ces experiences à porter la Croix que Nostre Seigneur
nous presente pour son honneur, & pour le salut de
ces pauures Barbares. Certes ie me suis trouué quelquesfois
si las, que le corps n'en pouuoit plus. Mais
d'ailleurs mon ame ressentoit de tres-grands contentemens,
considerant que ie souffrois pour Dieu: nul ne
le sçait, s'il ne l'experimente. Tous n'en ont pas
esté quittes à si bon marché.
I say nothing of the long and wearisome silence to
which one is reduced, I mean in the case of newcomers,
who have, for the time, no person in their company
who speaks their own tongue, and who do not
understand [125] that of the Savages. Now these
difficulties, since they are the usual ones, were common
to us as to all those who come into this Country.
But on our journey we all had to encounter
difficulties which were unusual. The first was that
we were compelled to paddle continually, just as
much as the Savages; so that I had not the leisure
to recite my Breviary except when I lay down to
sleep, when I had more need of rest than of work.
The other was that we had to carry our packages at
the portages, which was as laborious for us as it was
new, and still more for others than it was for me,
who already knew a little what it is to be fatigued.
At every portage I had to make at least four trips,
the others had scarcely fewer. I had once before
made the journey to the Hurons, but I did not then
ply [126] the paddles, nor carry burdens; nor did
the other Religious who made the same journey.
But, in this journey, we all had to begin by these
experiences to bear the Cross that Our Lord presents
to us for his honor, and for the salvation of these
poor Barbarians. In truth, I was sometimes so
weary that the body could do no more, but at the
same time my soul experienced very deep peace,
considering that I was suffering for God; no one
knows it if he has not experienced it. All did not
get off so cheaply.
Le Pere Dauost, entre autres, a esté tres-mal mené;
on luy a dérobé beaucoup de son petit equipage; on
l'a contraint de ietter vn petit moulin d'acier, & quasi
tous nos liures, quelques linges, & vne bonne partie
[127] du papier que nous portions, dont nous auons
grand besoin. On l'abandonna à l'Isle parmy les Algonquains,
où il a eu dequoy souffrir à bonnes enseignes.
Quand il arriua aux Hurons, il estoit si défait
& abbatu, que de long-temps il ne pût se remettre.
Father Davost, among others, was very badly
treated. They stole from him much of his little outfit.
They compelled him to throw away a little steel
mill, and almost all our books, some linen, and a
good part [127] of the paper that we were taking, and
of which we have great need. They deserted him
at the Island, among the Algonquains, where he suffered
in good earnest. When he reached the Hurons,
he was so worn-out and dejected that for a long
time he could not get over it.
Le Pere Daniel fut delaissé & contraint de changer
de canot, comme aussi pareillemẽt Pierre l'vn de nos
hommes; le petit Martin fut bien rudement traitté,
& en fin abandonné aux Bissiriniens, où il demeura si
long-temps, qu'il fut quelques deux mois en chemin,
& n'arriua aux Hurons que le dix-neufiéme de Septembre.
Baron fut volé par les siens la mesme iournée
qu'il arriua en ces contrées, & eust encore bien
plus perdu, s'il ne les eust contraints par la peur de
ses armes luy en rendre quelque partie. Bref [128]
tous les François y ont souffert de grandes peines,
82
fait de grosses dépenses, eu égard à leurs petites commoditez,
& couru de notables dangers. Et quiconque
montera icy haut, se doit resoudre à tout cela, & à
quelque chose de plus; mesme à la mort, dont on
voit à chaque moment l'Image deuant les yeux. Pour
moy qui ne sçais point nager ie m'en suis veu vne
fois fort proche: car au partir des Bissiriniens en descendant
vn saut, nous-nous en allions tomber dedans
vn precipice, si mes Sauuages n'eussent promptement
& habilement sauté en l'eau, pour destourner le canot
que le courant emportoit. Il est croyable que les
autres en pourroient bien dire autant & plus, veu le
nombre qu'il y a de semblables rencontres. Trois
autres difficultez m'ont donné de la peine en mon
particulier. La premiere, [129] l'importunité que
mes gens me firent du commencement, pour cacher en
quelque part vne quaisse qu'vn de nos François auoit
mise dãs nostre canot. La seconde, le soing de ceux
de nos gens, que nous auions laissé derriere. La troisiesme,
que les Algonquains par où nous passions taschoient
de nous intimider, disans que les Hurons
nous tueroiẽt, comme ils auoient fait en la personne de
Brulé, desirans de nous retenir chez eux, auec beaucoup
de demonstration de bienueillance. Depuis nostre
arriuée, i'ay appris que le Maistre de mon canot
auoit ietté en auant de me degrader en quelque part,
auec mon petit bagage; mais que sa proposition auoit
esté aussi-tost rebuttée; aussi ne m'en fit-on iamais aucun
semblant. Tout cela, Dieu mercy, ne me tourmenta
pas beaucoup. Car leur ayant declaré [130] que
ie porterois moy-mesme la quaisse dont il estoit question,
quoy qu'ils en eussent receu le port; ie me resigné,
quant au reste, à la volonté de Dieu, prest à
84
mourir pour l'honneur de son Fils nostre bon Seigneur,
& pour le salut de ces pauures Peuples.
Father Daniel was abandoned, and compelled to
seek another canoe, as also was Pierre, one of our
men. Little Martin was very roughly treated, and
at last was left behind with the Bissiriniens, where
he remained so long that he was about two months
on the road, and only arrived among the Hurons on
the nineteenth of September. Baron26 was robbed
by his savages on the very day he arrived in these
regions; and he would have lost much more if he
had not compelled them, through fear of his arms, to
give him back a part of what they had taken. In
short, [128] all the Frenchmen suffered great hardships,
incurred great expense, considering the few
goods they had, and ran remarkable risks. And
whosoever will come up here must make up his mind
to all this, and to something more, even to death itself,
whose Image we see every moment before our
eyes. For myself, not knowing how to swim, I once
had a very narrow escape from drowning. As we were
leaving the Bissiriniens, while descending a rapid we
would have gone over a precipice, had not my Savages
promptly and skillfully leaped into the water, to
turn aside the canoe which the current was sweeping
on. It is probable that the others might say as
much, and more, considering the number of such incidents
there are. Three other difficulties gave
trouble to me in particular. The first [129] was the
importunity of my men, at the start, to hide somewhere
a box that one of our Frenchmen had put
into our canoe. The second was anxiety for those of
our men we had left behind. The third, that the Algonquains,
through whose territory we were passing,
tried to intimidate us, saying that the Hurons would
kill us as they had Brulé, and desiring to keep us
among them, with abundant demonstrations of good
will. Since our arrival, I have learned that the Master
of my canoe had proposed to land me somewhere
with my little baggage, but that his proposal had
been at once repelled, and so I saw no sign of anything
of the kind. All that, thank God, did not
trouble me much; for having declared to them [130]
that I would myself carry the box about which the
trouble arose, although they had received pay to
carry it, I resigned myself as far, as everything else
was concerned, to the will of God, ready to die for
the honor of his Son, our good Lord, and for the
salvation of these poor Peoples.
Ie ne sçay pas quand on parla de me quitter; mais
mes Saunages me témoignoient tãt d'affection, & disoiẽt
tãt de bien de nous aux autres, qu'ils faisoiẽt
enuie à tous les Hurõs que nous rencõtrions, d'embarquer
quelqu'vn des nostres. Cela me fait douter,
si ce qu'on m'a dit du Maistre de mon canot est vray.
Car ceux qui auoiẽt embarqué le Pere Daniel & Baron,
voulurent les quitter à l'Isle; mais le Maistre du
canot où estoit le Pere Daniel, le voyant mescontent
de cela, le fit aussi-tost embarquer, & le porta iusques
à ce qu'ils eussent rencontré [131] le Capitaine de la
Rochelle, lequel estant de la cognoissance du Pere,
pour l'auoir voulu conduire l'an passé, le mit volontiers
dans son canot, auec ses deux pacquets. Il luy
fit plaisir, & aux Sauuages aussi; car le Pere eust eu
encore bien de la peine dans vn canot fort chetif, qui
n'auoit que trois hommes languissans, & dont la demeure
estoit à douze lieuës loing de la nostre: là où
ce Capitaine demeuroit au village, où nous auiõs quelque
dessein de nous habituer, & assez proche du lieu
où nous sommes; & d'ailleurs son canot estoit fort,
& equippé de six puissans Sauuages tous sains & gaillards.
Ce bon eschange luy arriua la veille de sainct
Ignace au matin, ayant fait le iour precedent naufrage
par deux fois. Pour Baron, n'eust esté le Capitaine
de l'Isle qui fit remettre ses pacquets dans les
canots, [132] il y fust demeuré. Encore ses gens ne
luy furent pas si barbares, comme furent autresfois à
vn de nos François, ceux qui le ramenoient des Hurons
à Kebec. Ce ieune homme surnommé la Marche
fust mort dans les bois, si nous n'eussions eu le soin
86
& le credit de le renuoyer chercher plus d'vne lieuë
loing du lieu où nous-nous en apperceusmes.
I do not know when they spoke of leaving me;
but my Savages exhibited so much affection for me,
and said so much that is kind about us to others,
that they excited the desire in all the Hurons we met
to embark some one of our people. This makes me
doubt the truth of what has been said about the Master
of my canoe. For those who had embarked Father
Daniel and Baron wished to leave them at the
Island; but the Master of the canoe in which Father
Daniel was, seeing him dissatisfied at that, caused
him to embark at once, and carried him until they
met [131] the Captain of la Rochelle,27 who, knowing
the Father from having wished to take him last year,
willingly received him with his two packages into
his canoe. It pleased him, and the Savages also; for
the Father would have still had much trouble in a
wretched canoe which had only three sick men in it,
whose home was twelve leagues distant from ours;
this Captain lived at a village where we had some
intention of settling, and quite near the place where
we are. Besides, his canoe was strong, and manned by
six powerful Savages, quite healthy and good-natured.
This happy exchange happened to him the morning
of the day before the festival of saint Ignace, he
having been shipwrecked twice the previous day.
As to Baron, had it not been for the Captain of the
Island, who caused his baggage to be put back into
the canoes, [132] he would have remained there.
Still, his people were not so barbarous as formerly
were those who brought back one of our Frenchmen
from the Hurons to Kebec. This young man, surnamed
la Marche, would have died in the woods, if
we had not had the care and the interest to send
back in search of him more than a league from the
place where we missed him.
Il ne faut quelquefois qu'vn mot, quelquefois
qu'vn songe, quelque fantaisie, ou la moindre pensée
d'incommodité, pour faire dégrader ou mettre à
terre, i'ose dire, pour faire massacrer vn hõme, ainsi
qu'il arriua l'an passé à vn pauure Algõquain, qui fut
abandonné en vn saut par son propre neueu: & il n'y
a pas vn mois qu'vn pauure ieune homme aussi Algonquain,
estant tombé dans le feu, fut tué auprés de
nostre village par ceux de sa Nation, de peur qu'ils
auoient [133] d'en estre incommodez dans le canot.
Ce qui me persuade qu'ils l'assommerent, c'est la
coustume qu'ils en ont; que les Hurons le disoient;
& que le soir auparauant il mangeoit bien, & en
bonne quantité de ce que nous luy donnions; outre
que deux Algonquains nous asseurerent, qu'on estoit
dans la pensée de le trépaner d'vn coup ou deux de
hache. Vostre Reuerence a veu ou sceu de semblables
cas en son hyuernement auec les Sauuages. En vn
mot, il faut se resoudre à beaucoup de dangers euidens,
& de grandes fatigues, qui veut venir icy.
I'attribue neantmoins toutes ces difficultez extraordinaires
à la maladie de nos Sauuages. Car nous sçauons
assez combien les maladies alterent les humeurs,
& les complexions mesmes des plus sociables. Ie ne
sçay pas à quel prix nos François, & les Montagnais
[134] en aurõt esté quittes. Biẽ sçay je que la pluspart
des Mõtagnais qui estoient aux trois Riuieres
quand nous-nous embarquasmes, estoient malades, &
que plusieurs en mouroient; comme aussi, qu'il n'est
quasi point reuenu de canot de la traitte, qui n'aye
esté affligé de ceste contagiõ. Elle a esté si vniuerselle
88
parmy les Sauuages de nostre cognoissance, que
ie ne sçay si aucun en a euité les atteintes. Tous ces
pauures gents en ont esté fort incommodez, notamment
pendant l'Automne, tant en leurs pesches qu'en
leurs moissons. Plusieurs bleds sont demeurez sous
les neiges, grand nombre de personnes sont mortes;
il y en a encore à present qui ne sont pas gueris.
Cette maladie commençoit par des ardeurs violentes,
qui estoient suiuies d'vne espece de rougeolle, ou petite
verolle, differente [135] toutesfois de celle de Frãce,
accompagnée en plusieurs d'aueuglement pour quelques
iours, ou obscurcissement de veuë, & en fin se terminoit
en vn flux de ventre, qui en a conduit plusieurs,
& en conduit encore quelques-vns au tombeau.
Sometimes a word, or a dream, or a fancy, or even
the smallest sense of inconvenience, is enough to
cause them to illtreat, or set ashore, and I dare say
to murder one,—as happened last year to a poor Algonquain,
who was abandoned in a rapid by his own
nephew; and, not a month ago, a poor young man,
also an Algonquain, having fallen into the fire, was
killed near our village by his own Tribesmen, for
fear he might [133] be an inconvenience in the canoe.
What makes me believe they killed him is that it is
the custom among them; that the Hurons said so;
and that, the evening before, he ate heartily a good
quantity of what we gave him; besides, two Algonquains
assured us that they had a mind to brain him
with one or two blows of an axe. Your Reverence
has seen or known of similar cases in your winter's
stay among the Savages. In a word, he who thinks
of coming here must make up his mind to many obvious
dangers and to great fatigues. I attribute,
nevertheless, all these extraordinary difficulties to the
sickness among our Savages. For we know very
well how sickness alters the disposition and the inclinations
even of the most sociable. I know not at
what price our French and the Montagnais [134] will
have become rid of it. I know, indeed, that the
greater part of the Montagnais who were at the three
Rivers when we embarked were sick, and that many
of them died; and also that almost no one who returned
by canoe from trading, was not afflicted with
this contagion. It has been so universal among the
Savages of our acquaintance that I do not know if
one has escaped its attacks. All these poor people
have been much inconvenienced by it, particularly
during the Autumn, as much in their fishing as in
their harvesting. Many crops are lying beneath the
snow; a large number of persons are dead; there are
still some who have not recovered. This sickness
began with violent fever, which was followed by a
sort of measles or smallpox, different, [135] however,
from that common in France, accompanied in several
cases by blindness for some days, or by dimness of
sight, and terminated at length by diarrhœa which
has carried off many and is still bringing some to the
grave.
Parmy ces peines & dangers, nous auons de grandes
obligations à la prouidence & bonté paternelle de
nostre Seigneur: car ny par les chemins, ny dedans
le Pays, pas vn de nous n'a esté pris de ce mal, ny
cedé à la faim, ou perdu l'appétit. Quelques-vns
ont eu du depuis quelque legere atteinte de maladie,
mais cela s'est passé en peu de iours. Nostre Seigneur
soit loüé à iamais, & la tres-immaculée Vierge, auec
son tres-chaste Espoux, de cette singuliere faueur,
qui nous a beaucoup aidé pour authoriser nostre Foy
parmy ces Peuples.
Among these troubles and dangers, we owe much to
the care and fatherly goodness of our Lord; for neither
on the journey hither, nor while in this Country,
has one of us been taken with this sickness, nor
yielded to hunger, nor lost appetite. Some have had
since then light attacks of sickness, but they have
passed away in a few days. Our Lord be forever
praised, and the most immaculate Virgin with her
most chaste Spouse, for this singular favor, which
has aided us much in giving authority to our Faith
among these Peoples.
[136] I'arriué aux Hurons le cinquiesme d'Aoust,
iour de nostre Dame des Neiges; ayant demeuré
trente iours par les chemins, en continuel trauail, excepté
vn iour de repos que nous prismes au pays des
Bissiriniens. Tous les autres, excepté Robert le Coq
& Dominique, demeurerent bien dauantage, quoy que
d'ordinaire le voyage ne soit que de 20. iours ou enuiron.
Ie pris terre au port du village de Toanché
90
ou de Teandeouïata, où autresfois nous estions habituez;
mais ce fut auec vne petite disgrace, nostre
Seigneur nous voulant faire cognoistre dés l'entrée,
qu'il nous appelle icy afin d'y endurer. Mes Sauuages
s'oublians des caresses que ie leur avois fait,
& de l'assistance que ie leur auois rendu, pendant
leurs maladies, & outre cela des belles paroles & promesses
qu'ils m'auoient faites, apres m'auoir [137]
debarqué, auec quelques ornemens d'Eglise, & quelque
autre petit equipage, m'abandonnerent là tout
seul, sans viures, ny sans cabane, & reprindrent leur
route vers leurs villages, distans de quelques sept
lieuës; le mal estoit, que le village de Toanché auoit
changé depuis mon depart, & que ie ne sçauois pas
bonnement en quel endroit il estoit situé, & que ce
riuage n'estant plus hanté, ie ne pouuois pas bien
m'asseurer du chemin, & que quand ie l'eusse sceu,
ny ma foiblesse ne m'eust pas permis de porter tout
mon petit bagage à la fois, ny le hazard du lieu d'en
faire à deux. C'est pourquoy ie priois mes Sauuages
de m'accompagner iusques au village, ou au moins
de coucher en ce bord pour cette nuiét, & garder mes
hardes tandis que i'irois prendre langue. Mais leurs
oreilles estoient sourdes [138] à mes prieres, & à mes
remonstrances. Pour toute consolation ils me dirent
que quelqu'vn me viendroit trouuer là. Il fallut
auoir patience: ils partent, & ie me prosterne aussitost
à genoux, pour remercier Dieu, nostre Dame, &
sainct Ioseph, des faueurs & des graces que i'auois
receu durant le voyage. Ie saluay l'Ange tutelaire
du Pays, & m'offris à nostre Seigneur, auec tous nos
petits trauaux, pour le salut de ces pauures Peuples,
prenant esperãce que Dieu ne m'abandonneroit point
92
là, puis qu'il m'auoit conserué & conduit auec tant
de faueurs. Apres ayant consideré que cet abbord
estoit desert, & que i'y pourrois bien demeurer longtemps,
auant qu'aucun du village m'y vinst trouuer;
ie caché mes pacquets dedans les bois, & prenant auec
moy ce que i'auois de plus precieux, ie m'en allé
chercher le [139] village, que ie rencontré heureusemẽt
enuiron à trois quarts de lieuës, ayant en passant
veu auec attendrissement & ressentiment le lieu où
nous auions habité, & celebré le S. sacrifice de la
Messe trois ans durant, cõuerty en vn beau champ;
comme aussi la place du vieux village, où excepté vne
cabane rien ne restoit que les ruines des autres. Ie
vis pareillement l'endroit où le pauure Estienne Brulé
auoit esté barbarement & traistreusement assommé;
ce qui me fit pẽser que quelque iour on nous
pourroit bien traitter de la sorte, & desirer au moins
que ce fust en pourchassant la gloire de N. Seig.
Dés aussi-tost que ie fus apperceu au village, & qu'on
eust crié, voyla Echom reuenu, c'est ainsi qu'ils me
nommẽt, tout le monde sortit pour me salüer & bienueigner,
chacun m'appellant par mon nom, & me
[140] disant: Quoy Echom, mon nepueu, mon frere,
mon cousin, es tu donc reuenu? Mais sans m'arrester,
parce que la nuict s'approchoit, ie prends logis,
& m'y estant bien peu de temps rafraischy, ie sors
aussi-tost auec vne bande de ieunes gens volontaires,
pour aller reprendre mon petit bagage. Il estoit
vne heure de nuict quand nous fusmes de retour au
village. Ie me logeay chez vn nommé Aouandoïé, lequel
est, ou au moins a esté vn des plus riches des
Hurons. Ce que ie fis à dessein, par ce qu'vn autre
moins fort eust pû estre incommodé du grand nombre
94
de François que i'attendois, & qu'il falloit nourrir
iusques à ce que nous fussions tous assemblez, & que
nostre cabane fust faite. Vous pouuez vous loger où
vous voulez, car ceste Nation entre toutes les autres,
est fort hospitaliere enuers toute sorte [141] de personnes,
mesmes enuers les Estrangers: & vous y demeurez
tant qu'il vous plaist, tousiours bien traité à
la façon du pays, & au partir de là vous en voyla
quitte pour vn, ho, ho, ho, outoécti, ou vn grand mercy,
au moins par entre-eux. Car des François ils attendent
quelque recompense, à discretion toutesfois.
Il est bien vray que tous ne sont pas également hospitaliers,
il y a du plus & du moins. Mon hoste est
des premiers en ceste vertu, & peut-estre est-ce pour
ce sujet que Dieu l'a cõblé iusques à present de benedictiõs
temporelles, & l'a preserué entre tous ses Concitoyens.
Car leur village nommé Teandeouïhata,
ayant esté bruslé par deux fois, il n'y a eu en toutes
les deux fois, que sa seule maison exempte de l'embrasement.
Quelques vns attribuent cela au fort;
pour moy ie le rapporte à vne [142] cause plus noble;
& si ie me souuiens d'vn bon trait, soit de prudence,
soit d'humanité, dont il se seruit au premier embrasement;
car l'enuie s'estant allumée contre luy, & quelques-vns
voulant perdre sa cabane, que le feu auoit
espargnée, aussi tost il fait mettre chaudiere haute,
appreste vn bon festin, conuie tout le village, & les
ayant assemblez, leur fait ceste harangue. Mes
freres, i'ay vn tres-sensible déplaisir de l'accident qui
est arriué; mais qu'y ferions nous, c'en est fait. Pour
moy ie ne sçay pas ce que i'ay fait au Ciel, pour
auoir esté espargné entre tous les autres. Or pour
vous tesmoigner mon déplaisir, & le desir que i'ay de
96
participer à la calamité commune, voyla deux quaisses
de bled (elles tenoient pour le moins cent ou six
vingts boisseaux) i'en donne vne de bon cœur à tout
le [143] village. Cette action appaisa l'enuie, & esteignit
les mauuais desseins que l'on couuoit desia
contre luy. C'est faire sagement, que de perdre vne
partie pour sauuer le reste.
[136] I arrived among the Hurons on the fifth of
August, the day of our Lady of the Snows, after being
thirty days on the road in continual work, except
one day of rest, which we took in the country of the
Bissiriniens. All the others, except Robert le Coq
and Dominique, took much longer; although usually
the journey is only 20 days, or thereabout. I
landed at the port of the village of Toanché or of
Teandeouïata, where we had formerly lived; but it
was with a little misfortune, our Lord wishing us to
recognize from the beginning that he is calling us
here to suffer. My Savages,—forgetting the kindness
I had lavished upon them and the help I had
afforded them in their sickness, and notwithstanding
all the fair words and promises they had given me,—after
having [137] landed me with some Church ornaments
and some other little outfit, left me there
quite alone, without any provisions and without shelter,
and resumed their route toward their villages,
some seven leagues distant. My trouble was that the
village of Toanché28
had changed since my departure,
and that I did not know precisely in what place
it was situated. The shore being no longer frequented,
I could not easily ascertain my way; and,
if I had known it, I could not from weakness have
carried all my little baggage at once; nor could I
risk, in that place, doing this in two trips. That is
why I entreated my Savages to accompany me as far
as the village, or at least to sleep on the shore for the
night, to watch my clothes while I went to make inquiries.
But their ears were deaf [138] to my prayers
and my remonstrances. The only consolation
they gave me was to tell me that some one would
find me there. I was obliged to be patient; they
went away, and I prostrated myself at once upon my
knees to thank God, our Lady, and saint Joseph, for
the favors and mercies I had received during the
voyage. I saluted the tutelary Angel of the Country,
and offered myself to our Lord, with all our little
labors, for the salvation of these poor Peoples, taking
hope that God would not abandon me there, since
he had preserved and led me with so many favors.
Then, having considered that this shore was deserted,
and that I might indeed remain there a long time before
any one in the village would come to find me, I
hid my packages in the woods; and, taking with me
what was most precious, I set out to find the [139]
village, which fortunately I came upon at about
three-quarters of a league,—having seen with tenderness
and emotion, as I passed along, the place where
we had lived, and had celebrated the Holy sacrifice
of the Mass during three years, now turned into a
fine field; and also the site of the old village, where,
except one cabin, nothing remained but the ruins of
the others. I saw likewise the spot where poor Estienne
Brulé was barbarously and traitorously murdered,
which made me think that perhaps some day
they might treat us in the same manner, and to desire
at least that it might be while we were earnestly
seeking the glory of Our Lord. As soon as I was
perceived in the village, some one cried out, "Why,
there is Echom come again" (that is the name they
give me); and at once every one came out to salute
and welcome me, each calling me by name and [140]
saying: "What, Echom, my nephew, my brother,
my cousin, hast thou then come again?" But without
stopping, for night was approaching, I found a
place to lodge; and, having rested a short time, I
quickly set out with a volunteer band of young people
to bring my slender baggage. It was an hour
after sunset when we returned to the village. I
lodged with a man named Aouandoïé, who is, or at
least was, one of the richest of the Hurons. I did
this on purpose, because another with smaller means
might have been inconvenienced with the large number
of Frenchmen whom I was expecting, and who
had to be provided with food and shelter until we
had all gathered together, and our cabin was ready.
You can lodge where you please; for this Nation
above all others is exceedingly hospitable towards all
sorts [141] of persons, even toward Strangers; and
you may remain as long as you please, being always
well treated according to the fashion of the country.
On going away, one acknowledges their hospitality
by a ho, ho, ho, outoécti, or "many thanks!" at least
among themselves; but from Frenchmen they expect
some recompense, always at one's discretion. It is
quite true that not all are equally hospitable, there
are some more and some less so. My host is one of the
first in this virtue; and perhaps it is on this account
that God has crowned him until now with temporal
blessings, and has preserved him among all his Fellow
Countrymen; for their village, named Teandeouïhata,
having been burned twice, each time his house
alone escaped the conflagration. Some attribute this
to chance; for myself, I ascribe it to a [142] nobler
cause, and so I recall a fine trait, call it prudence or
call it humanity, which he displayed on the occasion
of the first conflagration. For jealousy having been
enkindled against him, and some wishing to destroy
his cabin that the fire had spared, at once he caused
a large cauldron to be hung, prepared a good feast,
invited the whole village, and, having assembled
them, delivered this harangue: "My brethren, I am
very deeply grieved at the misfortune that has happened;
but what can we do about it? It is over. For
myself, I know not what I have done for Heaven, to
be spared before all others. Now, in order to testify
to you my deep grief and my desire to share in the
common misfortune, I have two bins of corn" (they
held at least one hundred to one hundred and twenty
bushels); "I give one of them freely to the whole
[143] village." This action calmed their jealousy,
and put an end to their wicked designs which they
were already forming against him. It was a wise
action, this losing a part to save the rest.
Ie me logeay donc chez cét homme, où ie demeuray
auec nos deux Peres, & vn de nos gens, l'espace
de plus d'vn mois & demy, iusques à ce que nous-nous
transportasmes en nostre nouuelle cabane. Cependant
ces pauures Sauuages nous faisoient toutes
les caresses possibles, les vns portez par leur bon naturel,
les autres par la consideration de quelques petits
presens que ie leur auois fait, & l'esperance de
quelques autres.
I lodged therefore with this man, and lived there
with our two Fathers and one of our people, for the
space of more than a month and a half, until we took
possession of our new cabin. Yet these poor Savages
lavished upon us all possible kindnesses,—some
influenced by their good natural disposition; others,
by a few trifling gifts I made them, and the hope of
some others.
Ie departis le reste de nos gens en vne autre cabane,
pour éuiter l'importunité & l'incommodité, si
nous eussions esté tous en vn seul logis.
I distributed the rest of our people in another cabin,
to avoid the annoyance and inconvenience of being
all in one lodging.
[144] Le soir & le lendemain se passa en caresses,
visites, salutations & applaudissemens de tous ceux
du village. Les iours suiuans plusieurs des autres
villages, qui estoient de ma cognoissance, me vindrent
veoir, & remporterent tous en eschange de leur visite
quelques petits presens; c'est peu de chose en détail,
mais tout mis en gros fait beaucoup, & monte
assez haut pour les lieux. Les vns me disoient;
Quoy Echom? és tu donc reuenu? A la bonne heure,
nous te souhaittions & demandions grandement, adioustans
les raisons telles qu'ils iugeoient, & nous
fusmes fort resioüis, quand on nous dist que tu estois
à Kebec à dessein de remonter icy. D'autres disoient.
Nous voyla bien aises. Les bleds ne mourront plus,
98
pendant ton absence nous n'auions eu que famine.
Et en effet, ie croy qu'à nostre arriuée, [145] il n'y
auoit que deux familles en tout le village, qui eussent
prouision de bled. Tout le reste en alloit acheter
ailleurs, ce qui estoit commun à plusieurs autres villages.
Depuis nostre arriuée il y en a eu tres-grande
abondance par tout le Pays, quoy qu'au Printemps
il aye fallu semer par trois fois, à l'occasion des gelées
blanches, & des vers.
[144] That evening and the next day passed in the
exchanges of affection, visits, salutations, and encouraging
words from the whole village. On the following
days, several from other villages, who were of
my acquaintance, came to see me; and all took away
with them, in exchange for their visit, some trifling
presents. This is a small thing in detail, but on the
whole it exerts a great influence and is of great importance
in these regions. Some said to me: "What,
Echom, and so thou hast come back! That's right;
we were wishing and asking earnestly for thee" (adding
their reasons), "and we were heartily glad when
they told us that thou wert at Kebec, with the purpose
of coming up here." Others said: "We are
indeed very glad; the crops will no longer fail; during
thy absence we have had nothing but famine."
And, in truth, at our arrival there were, I believe,
[145] only two families in the whole village who had
a store of corn; all the others were going to buy elsewhere,
and this was the case in several other villages.
Since our arrival, there has been a very
great abundance throughout the whole Country, although
in the Spring it was necessary to sow three
times by reason of white frosts and worms.
Bref ceux de nostre village me disoient, Si tu ne
fusses reuenu, la traite des François estoit perduë
pour nous: car les Algonquains, & mesmes les Hurons
des autres villages, ne nous menaçoiẽt que de
mort, si nous y allions, à cause du massacre de Brulé;
mais maintenant nous irõs traiter sãs crainte. I'ay
esté quelques quinze iours à visiter les villages, & à
ramasser auec beaucoup de frais & de peine tout nostre
monde, qui abordoit ça & là, & qui ne sçachant [146]
pas la langue, n'eust pu venir nous trouuer qu'apres
beaucoup d'ennuy. Il est vray qu'vn de nos hommes
n'a pas laissé de venir sãs autre adresse, que de ces
deux mots, Echom Ihonatiria, qui sont mon nom, &
celuy de nostre village. Entre tous les François, ie
n'en trouue point qui aye eu plus de peine que le P.
Dauost & Baron. Le Pere pour le mauuais traitement
de ses Sauuages, Baron pour la longueur du voyage.
Il a demeuré quarante iours par les chemins, souuent
il estoit luy seul auec vn Sauuage, à nager dans vn
canot fort grand & fort chargé. Il luy falloit porter
luy-mesme tous ses pacquets. Il a couru risque trois
ou quatre fois dans les torrens, & pour comble de ses
peines, on luy a dérobé beaucoup de ses marchandises.
100
Certes il faut icy auoir bien de la force & de la patience,
& qui croira y venir [147] chercher autre que
Dieu, n'y trouuera pas son conte.
In short, those of our village told me, "If thou
hadst not returned, the trade with the French was
lost for us; for the Algonquains and even the Hurons
of the other villages, threatened us with death if we
went there on account of the murder of Brulé; but
now we shall go to trade without fear." I was occupied
some two weeks in visiting the villages, and
bringing together, at much expense and trouble, all
our party, who landed here and there, and who, not
knowing [146] the language, could only have found
us out after much toil. It is true that one of our men
was able to come without any other address than
these two words, Echom, Ihonatiria, which are my
name and that of our village. Among all the French
I do not find any who had more trouble than Father
Davost and Baron; the Father from the wicked treatment
of his Savages, Baron from the length of the
journey. He occupied forty days on the road; often
he was alone with a Savage, paddling in a canoe very
large and very heavily laden. He had to carry all
his packages himself; he had narrow escapes three
or four times in the torrents; and, to crown his difficulties,
much of his property was stolen. Truly, to
come here much strength and patience are needed;
and he who thinks of coming here [147] for any other
than God, will have made a sad mistake.
Iean Nicolet, en son voyage qu'il fit auec nous iusques
à l'Isle, souffrit aussi tous les trauaux d'vn des
plus robustes Sauuages. Estans en fin tous ralliez,
nous prismes resolution de nous habituer icy à Ihonatiria,
& y bastir nostre cabane, pour les raisons suiuantes.
La premiere est, qu'apres auoir serieusement
recommandé cét affaire à Dieu, nous iugeasmes que
telle estoit sa volonté, parce que la moisson des ames
y est plus meure qu'en aucun-autre endroit, tant à
cause de la cognoissance que i'ay auec les habitans
du lieu, & de l'affection qu'ils m'ont tesmoignée autresfois,
que pource qu'ils sont desia à demy instruits
en la Foy. En effet nous y en auons baptizé huict,
dont les sept sont allez au Ciel, auec la grace du Baptesme,
[148] & tout le village est en telle disposition,
qu'il ne tient qu'à nous de le baptiser. Mais nous
attendons qu'ils soient mieux instruits, & qu'ils ayent
quitté par effect leurs principales superstitions.
Jean Nicolet,29
in the voyage that he made with us
as far as the Island, suffered also all the hardships
of one of the most robust Savages. Being at last all
gathered together, we decided to dwell here at Ihonatiria,
and to build here our cabin, for the following
reasons: First, after having earnestly recommended
the matter to God, we judged that such was his will,
because the harvest of souls is more ripe here than in
any other place,—as much because of the acquaintance
I have with the inhabitants of the place, and
of the affection they showed for me formerly, as because
they are already partly instructed in the Faith.
In truth, we have baptized eight of them, of whom
seven have gone to Heaven with the grace of Baptism,
[148] and the whole village is of such a disposition
that it is only a question of our readiness to baptize
it. But we are waiting until they are better
instructed, and until they have forsaken for good
their principal superstitions.
La seconde raison est, que horsmis ce village, il n'y
auoit que la Rochelle où nous deussions auoir inclination
de nous arrester; & ç'auoit esté nostre pensée
dés l'an passé. Tous les habitans qui le desiroiẽt fort,
nous y inuitoient, disans que nous serions comme au
centre de la Nation, & adioutans d'autres motifs &
raisons qui nous aggreoient assez. Mesme sur le chemin
ie m'entretenois en ceste pensée, que ie ne quittay
que long-temps apres estre icy arriué; si bien que
nous laissasmes assez bon espace de temps à ce village
de la Rochelle, les pacquets du Pere Daniel chez le
Capitaine, qui [149] l'auoit accueilly dans son canot,
en intention d'y faire porter les autres, & nous y loger.
102
Mais ayant consideré, qu'ils deuoient à ce Printemps
changer de place, comme ils ont déja fait,
nous ne voulusmes point bastir vne cabane pour vn
hyuer. D'ailleurs, quoy qu'il nous soit fort à desirer,
pour cueillir plus de fruit, d'auoir beaucoup d'auditeurs
en nos assemblées, ce qui nous peut faire choisir
les grand[s] villages, plustost que les petits; neantmoins
pour le commencement, nous auons trouué
plus à propos de nous tenir comme à l'ombre, prés
d'vne petite bourgade, où les habitans sont déja faits
à hanter les François, que de nous mettre tout à coup
en vne grãde, où l'on ne fust point accoustumé à nos
façous de faire. Autrement c'eust esté exposer des
hommes nouueaux & ignorans en la langue, à vne
[150] ieunesse nombreuse, qui par ses importunitez
& mocqueries eust peû apporter quelque desordre.
De plus si nous fussions allez ailleurs, ceux de ce village
eussent creû estre encore en la disgrace des
François, & eussent peut-estre abandonné le commerce
auec eux, veu mesmement que cét Hyuer dernier
le Borgne de l'Isle a fait icy courir le bruit, que
Monsieur de Champlain n'en vouloit pas demeurer
là, pour la mort de Brulé, & qu'il demandoit quatre
testes; & il est croyable que si nous n'eussions esté
icy, & si nous n'y demeurions comme pour gages,
plusieurs craignans d'estre arrestez, soit pour leurs
fautes, soit pour celles d'autruy, ne retourneroient
plus à la traicte. En outre ces bonnes gents ont pretendu
que nous deuiõs demeurer chez eux, s'il estoit
vray que nous les aimassions: car, disoiẽt-ils, [151] si
vous allez ailleurs, nõ seulemẽt nous aurions sujet de
craindre pour nostre particulier, mais encore pour
tout le Pays, nos interests estans vnis ensemble;
mais maintenãt que vous nous prenez pour vos hostes,
104
nous n'auons plus que craindre comme nous eussions
fait: car si vous eussiez choisi vn autre lieu, & que
quelque meschant vous eust fait du mal, non seulement
les François, mais encore les Hurons s'en
fussent pris à nous. Ie pourrois encore icy alleguer
quelques autres raisons & considerations qui ne sont
pas à mépriser, comme seroit vne plus grãde commodité,
tant pour le poisson & pour le gibier, comme
pour l'embarquement. Mais la principale est la premiere
que i'ay apportée, entre les villages qui nous
ont voulu auoir, ceux d'Oënrio en ont fait plus d'instance.
Ce petit village assez proche [152] du nostre,
faisoit autresfois vne partie de celuy où nous
estions iadis: mais nous n'auons pas iugé à propos
de nous y arrester ceste fois, seulement ayant reconneu
qu'il estoit expedient, que de ce village & du
nostre il s'en fist vn en quelque autre part, tant pour
leurs affaires communes, que pour nos fonctions &
ministeres particuliers. Nous auons fait depuis peu
quelques presens à tous les deux ensemble à cette
fin. Nos presents sont de grande consideration parmy
eux: neantmoins ils ne sont pas encore resolus.
Ayant donc arresté de nous tenir où nous
sommes, il fut question de bastir vne cabane. Les
cabanes de ce pays, ne sont ny des Louures ny des
Palais, ny rien de semblable aux riches bastimens de
nostre France, nõ pas mesmes aux plus petites chaumines;
c'est neantmoins quelque [153] chose de meilleur
& plus commode, que les tandis des Montagnais.
Ie ne vous sçaurois mieux exprimer la façon des demeures
Huronnes, que de les comparer à des berceaux
ou tonnelles de iardin; dont au lieu de branches &
de verdure, quelques-vnes sont couuertes d'escorce
de cedres, quelques autres de grosses escorces de
106
fresnes, d'orme & de sapin, ou perusse: & quoy que
celles de cedres soient les meilleures, suiuant l'aduis
& l'vsage le plus commun, il y a neantmoins ceste incommodité,
qu'elles sont quasi aussi susceptibles du
feu que des allumettes, d'où procede quantité d'embrasemens
des bourgades entieres, & sans aller plus
loing que ceste année, nous en auons veu en moins
de dix iours deux grandes entierement consommées;
& vne autre, qui est celle de Louys, bruslée [154] en
partie. Nous auons veu aussi vne fois nostre propre
cabane en feu; mais Dieu mercy nous l'esteignismes
aussi tost. Il y a de ces cabanes ou berceaux de diuerse
grandeur, les vnes de deux brasses en longueur,
d'autres de dix, d'autres de vingt, de trente, & de
quarante: la largeur ordinaire est d'enuiron quatre
brasses, la hauteur est presque pareille. Il n'y a point
de diuers estages; il ne se voit icy ny caue, ny
chambre, ny grenier. On n'y veoit autre fenestre ny
cheminée qu'vn meschant trou au haut de la cabane,
qu'on y laisse à dessein pour chasser la fumée. C'est
ainsi qu'on nous a basty la nostre.
Secondly, except this village there was only la Rochelle
at which we might have had any inclination
to stop, and that had been our intention from last
year. All the inhabitants desired it very much, and
invited us there, saying that we would be, as it were,
in the center of the Nation, and adding other motives
and reasons which pleased us well. Even on the
road I entertained this thought, and only laid it aside
a long time after my arrival here,—so long, indeed,
that we left for a considerable space of time the baggage
of Father Daniel at this village of la Rochelle,
with the Captain who [149] had received him into
his canoe,—intending to carry the rest thither, and
to abide there. But, having taken into account that
they were intending this Spring to change the location
of the place, as they have already done, we did
not wish to build a cabin for one winter. Besides,
although it is a desirable thing to gather more fruit,
and to have more listeners in our assemblies, which
would make us choose the large villages rather than
the small, nevertheless, for a beginning we have
thought it more suitable to keep in the shadow, as it
were, near a little village where the inhabitants are
already disposed to associate with the French, than
to put ourselves suddenly in a great one, where the
people are not accustomed to our mode of doing
things. To do otherwise would have been to expose
new men, ignorant of the language, to a [150] numerous
youth, who by their annoyances and mockery
would have brought about some disturbance. Besides,
if we had gone elsewhere the people of this
village would have thought themselves still in disgrace
with the French, and perhaps would have
abandoned trade with them,—especially as during
this last Winter Le Borgne,30
of the Island, spread
the report that Monsieur de Champlain did not wish
us to remain there, on account of the death of Brulé,
and that he was demanding four heads; and it is
probable that, if we had not been here, and if we had
not remained as pledges, several, fearing to be arrested
for their own faults or for those of others,
would not have returned again to the trade. Besides,
these good people have claimed that we ought to remain
among them if it were true that we loved them;
"for," said they, [151] "if you go elsewhere, not
only shall we have cause to fear on our own account,
but for the whole Country besides, our interests being
bound together. But, now that you take us for
your hosts, we have no longer to fear as we would;
for if you had chosen another place, and if some
wicked person had done you harm, not only the
French but the Hurons also would have blamed us
for it." I might bring forward some other reasons
and considerations which are not to be despised,—as,
for example, it would be a more convenient place, as
well for fish and game as for embarking. But the
principal reason is the first I mentioned. Among
the villages that wished to have us, the people of
Oënrio31
have entreated us most. This little village,
quite near [152] ours, used to be a part of the one in
which we were formerly; but we have not judged it
expedient for us to stop there this time, simply having
recognized it to be best that from this village and
from ours one should be formed at some other place,
both for their common interests and for our own
special functions and ministrations. We made, not
long ago, some presents to both of them at the same
time, for this purpose. Our presents have great influence
among them, nevertheless they have not yet
decided the question. Having, therefore, determined
to stay where we are, the question of building a
cabin arose. The cabins of this country are neither
Louvres nor Palaces, nor anything like the buildings
of our France, not even like the smallest cottages.
They are, nevertheless, somewhat [153] better and
more commodious than the hovels of the Montagnais.
I cannot better express the fashion of the Huron
dwellings than to compare them to bowers or garden
arbors,—some of which, in place of branches and
vegetation, are covered with cedar bark, some others
with large pieces of ash, elm, fir, or spruce bark;
and although the cedar bark is best, according to
common opinion and usage, there is, nevertheless,
this inconvenience, that they are almost as susceptible
to fire as matches. Hence arise many of the
conflagrations of entire villages; and, without going
farther than this year, we have seen in less than ten
days two large ones entirely consumed, and another,
that of Louys, partially burned. [154] We have also
once seen our own cabin on fire; but, thank God, we
extinguished it immediately. There are cabins or
arbors of various sizes, some two brasses in length,
others of ten, others of twenty, of thirty, of forty;
the usual width is about four brasses, their height
is about the same. There are no different stories;
there is no cellar, no chamber, no garret. It has
neither window nor chimney, only a miserable hole
in the top of the cabin, left to permit the smoke to
escape. This is the way they built ours for us.
Ceux d'Oënrio & de nostre village s'y sont employez,
au moyen de quelque present que nous leur fismes.
Nous n'auons pas manqué d'exercice pour la faire
acheuer, tant [155] à cause de la maladie vniuerselle
de quasi tous les Sauuages, qu'à cause de la cooperation
de ces deux villages. Car encore que l'ouurage
ne fust pas grand; toutesfois ceux de nostre village,
regardans ceux d'Oënrio, qui sous esperance de nous
attirer à eux à la longue, ne faisoiẽt que s'amuser
sans rien auãcer. Nous estions quasi au mois d'Octobre
auant que nous fussions à couuert. Pour le dedans
nous l'auons accõmodé nous mesmes; en sorte
que bien que ce ne soit pas grand' chose, les Sauuages
108
ne laissent de la venir veoir, & la voyant de l'admirer.
Nous l'auons separée en trois. La premiere
partie du costé de la porte, sert d'antichambre, de
briseuent, & de magazin pour nos prouisions de bled,
à la façon des Sauuages. La seconde est, celle que
nous habitons, & où est nostre cuisine, nostre [156]
menuiserie, nostre moulin, ou lieu à battre le bled,
nostre Refectoire, nostre salle, & nostre chambre.
Aux deux costez à la façon des Hurons sont deux
establies, qu'ils nomment Endicha, sur lesquelles sont
des quaisses pour mettre nos habits & autres petites
commoditez; mais au dessous, au lieu que les Hurons
y logent leur bois, nous y auons pratiqué de petites
cabanes pour nous coucher, & retirer quelque
chose de nos hardes, hors de la main larronnesse des
Hurons. Pour eux ils couchent auprés du feu: mais
cependant eux & nous n'auons que la terre pour chalit;
pour paillasse & pour matelats quelque escorce,
ou quelque branchage couuert d'vne nate de ionc;
car pour les linceuls & couuertes, nos habits & quelques
peaux en font l'office. La troisiesme partie de
nostre cabane est encore [157] diuisée en deux, par
le moyen d'vn ouurage de menuiserie, qui luy donne
assez bonne grace, & qui se fait admirer icy pour sa
nouueauté. En l'vne est nostre petite Chapelle, où
nous celebrons tous les iours la saincte Messe, & nous
y retirons de iour pour prier Dieu. Il est vray que
le bruit qu'on fait quasi continuellement nous en empesche
d'ordinaire, horsmis le matin & le soir, que
tout le monde est retiré, & nous contraint de gaigner
le dehors pour faire nos prieres. En l'autre partie
nous y mettons nos vtensiles. Toute la cabane n'a
que six brasses de longueur, & enuiron trois & demie
de large. Voyla comme nous sommes logez, non
110
sans doute si bien que nous n'ayons dedans ce logis
assez bonne part à la pluye, à la neige, & au froid.
Cependant, comme i'ay dict, on ne laisse pas de nous
venir [158] visiter par admiration; principalement
depuis que nous auons eu deux portes de menuiserie,
& que nostre moulin & nostre horloge ont commencé
à ioüer. On ne sçauroit dire les estonnemens de ces
bonnes gens, & combien ils admirent l'esprit des
François. Mais ils ont tout dit, quand ils ont dit
qu'ils sont ondaki, c'est à dire des Demons: & nous
releuions bien ce mot à leur profit, quand nous leur
disons. Or ça mes freres, vous auez veu cela; & l'auez
admiré, & vous pensez auoir raison, voyant quelque
chose d'extraordinaire, de dire ondaki; qu'il faut
que ceux qui font tant de merueilles soient des Demons.
Et qu'y a t'il d'admirable, comme la beauté
du Ciel & du Soleil? qu'y a-t'il d'admirable, comme
de voir tous les ans les arbres quasi morts durant
l'Hyuer, tous nuds & défigurez, reprendre [159] sans
mãquer à chaque Printemps vne nouuelle vie & vn
nouuel habit? Le bled que vous semez pourrit, & de
sa pourriture va poussant de si beaux tuyaux, & de
meilleurs espics? Et ce pendant vous ne dites point,
Il faut que celuy qui a fait tãt de beautez, & qui nous
estalle tous les ans deuant les yeux tant de merueilles,
soit quelque excellent oki; & quelque intelligẽce sureminẽte,
&c. Il n'est venu persõne qui n'aye voulu
tourner le moulin; neantmoins nous ne nous en seruons
point, d'autãt que nous auõs par veu experiẽce
que nos Sagamités sont meilleures estant pilées dedans
des mortiers de bois, à la façon des Sauuages,
que broyées dedans le moulin. Ie croy que c'est à
cause que le moulin fait la farine trop fine. Pour
ce qui est de l'horloge, il y auroit mille choses à dire.
112
Ils croyent tous [160] que c'est quelque chose viuante;
car ils ne se peuuent imaginer comment elle sonne
d'elle mesme, & quand elle vient à sonner, ils regardent
si nous sommes tous là, & s'il n'y a pas quelqu'vn
de caché, pour luy donner le branle.
The people of Oënrio and of our village were employed
at this, by means of presents given them. It
has cost us much exertion to secure its completion,
not only [155] on account of the epidemic, which affected
almost all the Savages, but on account of the
coöperation of these two villages; for although the
work was not great, yet those of our village followed
the example of those of Oënrio, who, in hopes of
finally attracting us to their village, simply amused
themselves without advancing the work; we were
almost into October before we were under cover. As
to the interior, we have suited ourselves; so that,
even if it does not amount to much, the Savages never
weary of coming to see it, and, seeing it, to admire
it. We have divided it into three parts. The first
compartment, nearest the door, serves as an antechamber,
as a storm door, and as a storeroom for
our provisions, in the fashion of the Savages. The
second is that in which we live, and is our kitchen,
our [156] carpenter shop, our mill, or place for grinding
the wheat, our Refectory, our parlor and our bedroom.
On both sides, in the fashion of the Hurons,
are two benches which they call Endicha, on which
are boxes to hold our clothes and other little conveniences;
but below, in the place where the Hurons
keep their wood, we have contrived some little bunks
to sleep in, and to store away some of our clothing
from the thievish hands of the Hurons. They sleep
beside the fire, but still they and we have only the
earth for bedstead; for mattress and pillows, some
bark or boughs covered with a rush mat; for sheets
and coverings, our clothes and some skins do duty.
The third part of our cabin is also [157] divided into
two parts by means of a bit of carpentry which gives
it a fairly good appearance, and which is admired here
for its novelty. In the one is our little Chapel, in
which we celebrate every day holy Mass, and we retire
there daily to pray to God. It is true that the almost
continual noise they make usually hinders us,—except
in the morning and evening, when everybody
has gone away,—and compels us to go outside to say
our prayers. In the other part we put our utensils.
The whole cabin is only six brasses long, and about
three and a half wide. That is how we are lodged,
doubtless not so well that we may not have in this
abode a good share of rain, snow, and cold. However,
as I have said, they never cease coming [158]
to visit us from admiration, especially since we have
put on two doors, made by a carpenter, and since our
mill and our clock have been set to work. It would
be impossible to describe the astonishment of these
good people, and how much they admire the intelligence
of the French. But they have said all when
they have said they are ondaki, that is, Demons; and
indeed we make profitable use of this word when we
talk to them: "Now, my brothers, you have seen
that and admired it, and you think you are right,
when you see something extraordinary, in saying ondaki,
to declare that those who make so many marvels
must be Demons. And what is there so wonderful
as the beauty of the Sky and the Sun? What is there
so wonderful as to see every year the trees almost
dead during the Winter, all bare and disfigured,
resume [159] without fail, every Spring, a new life
and a new dress? The corn that you plant rots, and
from its decay spring up such beautiful stalks and
better ears. And yet you do not say, 'He who made
so many beauties, and who every year displays before
our eyes so many marvels, must be some beneficent
oki, and some supereminent intelligence,'" etc. No
one has come who has not wished to turn the mill;
nevertheless we have not used it, inasmuch as we
have learned by experience that our Sagamités32
are
better pounded in a wooden mortar, in the fashion of
the Savages, than ground within the mill. I believe
it is because the mill makes the flour too fine. As to
the clock, a thousand things are said of it. They
all think [160] it is some living thing, for they cannot
imagine how it sounds of itself; and, when it is
going to strike, they look to see if we are all there
and if some one has not hidden, in order to shake it.
Ils ont pensé qu'il entendoit, principalement quand
pour rire quelqu'vn de nos François s'escrioit au dernier
coup de marteau, c'est assez sonné, & que tout
aussi tost elle se taisoit. Ils l'appellent le Capitaine
du iour. Quand elle sonne ils disent, qu'elle parle, &
demandent quand ils nous viennent veoir, combien
de fois le Capitaine a desia parlé. Ils nous interrogent
de son manger. Ils demeurent les heures entieres,
& quelquesfois plusieurs, afin de la pouuoir
ouyr parler. Ils demandoient au commencement ce
qu'elle disoit; on leur respondit deux [161] choses,
qu'ils ont fort bien retenuës; l'vne que quand elle
sonnoit à quatre heures du soir pendant l'hyuer, elle
disoit, Sortez, allez vous en, afin que nous fermions
la porte; car aussi tost ils leuent le siege, & s'en vont:
l'autre qu'à midy elle disoit yo eiouahaoua, c'est à dire,
sus dressõs la chaudiere, & ils ont encore mieux retenu
ce langage. Car il y a de ces écornifleurs, qui ne
manquent point de venir à cette heure là, pour participer
à nostre Sagamité. Ils mangent à toutes
heures, quand ils ont dequoy. Cependant d'ordinaire
ils ne font que manger deux chaudieres par iour,
sçauoir est, au matin & au soir. Partant ils sont bien
aises pendant le iour de prendre part à la nostre.
They think it hears, especially when, for a joke,
some one of our Frenchmen calls out at the last
stroke of the hammer, "That's enough," and then
it immediately becomes silent. They call it the
Captain of the day. When it strikes, they say it is
speaking; and they ask when they come to see us
how many times the Captain has already spoken.
They ask us about its food; they remain a whole
hour, and sometimes several, in order to be able to
hear it speak. They used to ask at first what it said.
We told them two [161] things that they have remembered
very well; one, that when it sounded four
o'clock of the afternoon, during winter, it was saying,
"Go out, go away that we may close the door,"
for immediately they arose, and went out. The
other, that at midday it said, yo eiouahaoua, that is,
"Come, put on the kettle;" and this speech is better
remembered than the other, for some of these spongers
never fail to come at that hour, to get a share of our
Sagamité. They eat at all hours, when they have
the wherewithal, but usually they have only two
meals a day, in the morning and in the evening;
consequently they are very glad during the day to
take a share with us.
A propos de leurs admirations, i'en pourrois icy
coucher plusieurs faites au sujet de la pierre d'aymant;
en laquelle ils regardoient s'il y auoit [162] de
la colle, & d'vne lunette à onze facettes, qui leur representoit
autant de fois vn mesme obiet, d'vne petite
114
phiole dans laquelle vne pulce paroist comme vn hanneton,
du verre triangulaire, des outils de menuiserie.
Mais sur tout de l'escriture; car ils ne pouuoient
conceuoir comme ce qu'vn de nous, estãt au village
leur auoit dit & couché en mesme temps par escrit;
vn autre qui cependant estoit dans la maison bien
esloignée, le disoit incontinent en voyant l'escriture.
Ie crois qu'ils en ont fait cent experiences. Tout
cela sert pour gaigner leurs affections, & les rendre
plus dociles, quand il est question des admirables &
incomprehensibles mysteres de nostre Foy. Car la
croyance qu'ils ont de nostre esprit & de nostre capacité,
fait que sans replique ils croyent ce qu'on leur
annonce.
Speaking of their expressions of admiration, I
might here set down several on the subject of the
lodestone, into which they looked to see if there was
[162] some paste; and of a glass with eleven facets,
which represented a single object as many times; of
a little phial in which a flea appears as large as a
beetle; of the prism, of the joiner's tools; but above
all of the writing, for they could not conceive how,
what one of us, being in the village, had said to
them, and put down at the same time in writing, another,
who meanwhile was in a house far away, could
say readily on seeing the writing. I believe they
have made a hundred trials of it. All this serves to
gain their affections, and to render them more docile
when we introduce the admirable and incomprehensible
mysteries of our Faith; for the belief they have
in our intelligence and capacity causes them to accept
without reply what we say to them.
[163] Reste maintenant à dire quelque chose du
pays, des meurs & coustumes des Hurons, de la disposition
qu'ils ont à la Foy, & de nos petits trauaux.
[163] It remains now to say something of the country,
of the manners and customs of the Hurons, of
the inclination they have to the Faith, and of our insignificant
labors.
Quant au premier, le peu de papier & de loisir que
nous auons, m'oblige à vous dire en peu de mots ce
qui pourroit faire vn iuste volume. Le pays des Hurons
n'est pas grand, sa plus longue estenduë se peut
trauerser en trois ou quatre iours, l'assiette en est
belle, la plus part toute en plaines. Il est environné
& entrecoupé d'vne quantité de tres-beaux lacs, ou
plustost mers, d'où vient que celuy qui leur est au
Nord, & au Nord-nordouest, est appellé mer douce.
Nous passõs par là en venāt des Bissiriniens. Le sol
de ce pays est tout sablonneux, quoy que non esgalement.
Cependant il produit quantité de tres-bon
bled d'Inde, & peut-on [164] dire, que c'est le grenier
de la plus part des Algonquains. Il y a vingt
Bourgades, qui disent enuiron trente milles ames,
sous vne mesme langue, & encore assez facile à qui a
quelque maistre. Elle a distinction de genres, de
116
nombre, de temps, de personnes, de mœuds, & en vn
mot tres-parfaite & tres accomplie, contre la pensée
de plusieurs. Ce qui me resioüit, c'est que i'ay appris
que cette langue est commune à quelques douze autres
Nations toutes sedentaires & nombreuses. Sçauoir
est aux Conkhandeenrhonons, khionontaterrhonons,
Atiouandaronks, Sonontoerrhonons, Onontaerrhonons, Oüioenrhonons,
Onoiochrhonons, Agnierrhonons, Andastoerrhonons,
Scahentoarrhonõs, Rhiierrhonons, & Ahouenrochrhonons.
Les Hurons sont amis de tous ces peuples,
excepté des Sonontoerrhonons, Onontaerrhonons, Oüioenrhonons,
Onoiochrhonons [165] & Agnierrhonons, que nous
comprenons tous sous le nom d'Hiroquois. Encore
ont ils desia la paix auec les Sonontoerrhonons, depuis
qu'ils furent par eux défaits l'année passée an Printemps.
As to the first, the little paper and leisure we have
compels me to say in a few words what might justly
fill a volume. The Huron country is not large, its
greatest extent can be traversed in three or four days.
Its situation is fine, the greater part of it consisting
of plains. It is surrounded and intersected by a
number of very beautiful lakes or rather seas, whence
it comes that the one to the North and to the North-northwest
is called "fresh-water sea" [mer douce].33
We pass through it in coming from the Bissiriniens.
The soil of this country is quite sandy, although not
equally so. However, it produces a quantity of very
good Indian corn, and one may [164] say that it is
the granary of most of the Algonquains. There are
twenty Towns, which indicate about 30,000 souls
speaking the same tongue, which is not difficult to
one who has a master. It has distinction of genders,
number, tense, person, moods; and, in short, it is
very complete and very regular, contrary to the
opinion of many. I am rejoiced to find that this
language is common to some twelve other Nations,
all settled and numerous; these are, the Conkhandeenrhonons,
khionontaterrhonons, Atiouandaronks, Sonontoerrhonons,
Onontaerrhonons, Oüioenrhonons, Onoiochrhonons,
Agnierrhonons, Andastoerrhonons, Scahentoarrhonons,
Rhiierrhonons, and Ahouenrochrhonons.34
The
Hurons are friends of all these people, except the
Sonontoerrhonons, Onontaerrhonons, Oüioenrhonons, Onoiochrhonons
[165] and Agnierrhonons, all of whom we
comprise under the name Hiroquois. But they have
already made peace with the Sonontoerrhonons, since
they were defeated by them a year past in the Spring.
Les deputez de tout le Pays sont allez à Sonontoen
pour cõfirmer cette paix, & dit on que les Onontaerhonons,
Ouioenrhonons, Ouiochrhonons & Agnierrhonons,
veulẽt entrer en ce party. Mais ce n'est pas
chose asseurée; que si cela est, voila vne belle grande
porte ouuerte à l'Euangile. On m'a voulu mener
audit Sonontoen, mais ie n'ay pas iugé à propos d'aller
encore en aucune part, iusques à ce que nous ayons
icy mieux estably les fondemens de la Loy Euangelique,
& que nous y ayons tiré vn crayon, sur lequel
les autres Nations qui se conuertiront se puissent reigler.
Ie voudrois bien n'aller en aucũ lieu qu'on
[166] ne nous recogneust aussi tost pour Predicateurs
de Iesus-Christ.
The deputies of the whole Country have gone to
Sonontoen35
to confirm this peace, and it is said that
the Onontaerhonons, Ouioenrhonons, Ouiochrhonons and
Agnierrhonons wish to become parties to it. But that
is not certain; if it were, a noble door would be open
to the Gospel. They wanted me to go to this Sonontoen,
but I did not judge it wise to go yet into any
other part, until we have better established here the
foundation of the Gospel Law, and until we have
drawn a line by which the other Nations that shall
be converted may guide themselves. Indeed, I
would not go to any place where [166] we would not
be immediately recognized as Preachers of Jesus
Christ.
Il est si clair & si euident, qu'il est vne Diuinité
qui a fait le Ciel & la terre, que nos Hurons ne la
peuuent entierement mécognoistre. Et quoy qu'ils
ayent les yeux de l'esprit fort obscurcis des tenebres
118
d'vne longue ignorance, de leurs vices & pechez, si
est-ce qu'ils en voyent quelque chose. Mais ils se
méprennent lourdement, & ayant la cognoissance de
Dieu, ils ne luy rendent pas l'honneur, ny l'amour,
ny le seruice qu'il conuient: car ils n'ont ny Temples,
ny Prestres, ny Festes, ny ceremonies aucunes.
It is so clear, so evident that there is a Divinity
who has made Heaven and earth, that our Hurons
cannot entirely ignore it. And although the eyes of
their minds are very much obscured by the darkness
of a long ignorance, by their vices and sins, they still
see something of it. But they misapprehend him
grossly, and, having the knowledge of God, they do
not render him the honor, the love, nor the service
which is his due. For they have neither Temples,
nor Priests, nor Feasts, nor any ceremonies.
Ils disent qu'vne certaine femme nommée Eataentsic,
est celle qui a fait la terre & les hommes. Ils luy
baillent pour adioint vn certain appellé Iouskeha,
qu'ils disent estre son petit fils, auec lequel elle gouuerne
[167] le monde; cest Iouskeha a soin des viuans
& des choses qui concernent la vie, & par consequent
ils disent qu'il est bõ: Eataentsic a soin des ames, &
parce qu'ils croyent qu'elle fait mourir les hommes,
ils disent qu'elle est meschante. Et ce sont parmy
eux des mysteres si cachez, qu'il n'y a que les vieillards
qui en puissent parler auec credit & authorité,
pour estre creus. D'où vient qu'vn certain ieune
homme m'en ayant discouru, me dist en se ventant,
Ne suisie pas bien sçauant? Quelques vns me disent
que la maison de ces deux Diuinitez est au bout du
monde vers l'Orient. Or chez eux le monde ne passe
point leur Pays, c'est à dire l'Amerique, d'autres les
logent au milieu.
They say that a certain woman named Eataentsic36
is the one who made earth and men. They give her
an assistant, one named Jouskeha, whom they declare
to be her little son, with whom she governs [167] the
world. This Jouskeha has care of the living, and of
the things that concern life, and consequently they
say that he is good. Eataentsic has care of souls;
and, because they believe that she makes men die,
they say that she is wicked. And there are among
them mysteries so hidden that only the old men, who
can speak with credit and authority about them, are
believed. Whence it comes that a certain young
man, who was talking to me about this, said boastingly,
"Am I not very learned?" Some told me
that the house of these two Divinities is at the end of
the world to the East. Now with them the world
does not pass beyond their Country, that is, America.
Others place their abode in the middle.
Ce Dieu & cette Deesse viuent comme eux, mais
sans disette; font des festins comme eux, sont lascifs
aussi bien qu'eux: bref ils se les figurent [168] tous tels
qu'ils sont eux mesmes. Et encor qu'il[s] les facent
hommes & corporels, ils semblent neantmoins leur attribuer
vne certaine immensité en tous lieux. Ils
disent que cette Eataentsic est tombée du Ciel, où il y
a des habitans comme icy, & que quand elle tomba,
elle estoit enceinte. Que si vous leur demandez qui
a fait le Ciel & ses habitans, ils n'ont autre repartie,
120
sinon qu'ils n'en sçauent rien. Et quand nous leur
preschons vn Dieu, Createur du Ciel & de la terre &
de toutes choses: de mesme quand nous leur parlons
d'vn Enfer & d'vn Paradis, & du reste de nos mysteres;
les opiniastres respondent, que cela est bon
pour nostre Pays, non pour le leur; que chaque Pays
a ses façons de faire: mais leur ayant monstré par le
moyen d'vn petit globe que nous auons apporté, qu'il
n'y a [169] qu'vn seul monde, ils demeurẽt sans replique.
Ie trouue dans leur mariage deux choses qui
me plaisent fort; l'vne qu'ils n'ont qu'vne femme,
l'autre qu'ils ne se marient point à leurs parens en
ligne directe ou collaterale, pour esloignez qu'ils puissẽt
estre. Il y a assez d'ailleurs à y reprendre, quand
ce ne seroit que le frequent changement que les
hommes font de leurs femmes, & les femmes de leurs
maris: ils croyent l'immortalité des ames, qu'ils feignent
estre corporelles. Toute la plus grande partie
de leur Religion consiste en ce poinct. Ce ne sont
d'ailleurs que superstitions, que nous esperons auec
la grace de Dieu changer en vraye Religion, & comme
despoüilles enleuées sur l'ennemy, les consacrer à
l'honneur de nostre Seigneur & en profiter pour leur
soulagement particulier. Certes si [170] estãs vn iour
Chrestiens, ils viennent à les aider à proportion de ce
qu'ils sont à present pour elles en vain; il faudra que
nous leur cedions, ou que nous les imitions; car ils
n'y espargnent rien, non pas mesmes les plus auaricieux.
Nous en auons veu quelques-vns dénuez, ou
peu s'en faut, de toutes leurs commoditez, pour ce que
plusieurs de leurs amis estoient morts, aux ames desquels
ils en auoient fait largesse. Au surplus les
chiens, les cerfs, les poissons & autres animaux ont
des ames immortelles & raisonnables à leur dire: Pour
122
preuue dequoy les vieillards racontent certaines fables
qu'ils font passer pour veritez; ils ne font mention ny
de peine ny de recompense au lieu où vont les ames
apres la mort; aussi ne mettent-ils point de distinction
entre les bons & les mauuais, les vertueux & les vicieux,
[171] & ils honorent également la sepulture des
vns & des autres: ainsi que nous auons veu en celle
d'vn ieune homme qui s'estoit empoisonné du déplaisir
qu'il auoit conceu, à raison qu'on luy auoit osté sa
femme. Ils ont vne infinité de superstitions, leurs
festins, leur[s] medecines, leurs pesches, leurs chasses,
leurs guerres; bref quasi toute leur vie ne roule que
sur ce piuot; les songes sur tout ont icy grand credit.
This God and Goddess live like themselves, but
without famine; make feasts as they do, are lustful
as they; in short, they imagine them [168] exactly
like themselves. And still, though they make them
human and corporeal, they seem nevertheless to attribute
to them a certain immensity in all places.
They say that this Eataentsic fell from the Sky, where
there are inhabitants as on earth; and, when she fell,
she was with child. If you ask them who made the
Sky and its inhabitants, they have no other reply
than that they know nothing about it. And when
we preach to them of one God, Creator of Heaven
and earth, and of all things, and even when we talk
to them of Hell and Paradise and of our other mysteries,
the headstrong savages reply that this is good
for our Country and not for theirs; that every Country
has its own fashions. But having pointed out to
them, by means of a little globe that we had brought,
that there is [169] only one world, they remain without
reply. I find in their marriage customs two
things that greatly please me; the first, that they
have only one wife; the second, that they do not
marry their relatives in a direct or collateral line,
however distant they may be. There is, on the other
hand, sufficient to censure, were it only the frequent
changes the men make of their wives, and the women
of their husbands. They believe in the immortality
of the soul,37 which they believe to be corporeal.
The greatest part of their Religion consists in this
point. There are, besides, only superstitions, which
we hope by the grace of God to change into true Religion,
and, like spoils carried off from the enemy, to
consecrate them to the honor of our Lord, and to
profit by them for their special advantage. Certainly,
if, [170] should they some day be Christians, these
superstitions help them in proportion to what they do
for them now in vain, it will be necessary that we
yield to them, or that we imitate them; for they
spare nothing, not even the most avaricious. We
have seen several stripped, or almost so, of all their
goods, because several of their friends were dead, to
whose souls they had made presents. Moreover,
dogs, deer, fish, and other animals have, in their
opinion, immortal and reasonable souls. In proof of
this, the old men relate certain fables, which they represent
as true; they make no mention either of punishment
or reward, in the place to which souls go after
death. And so they do not make any distinction between
the good and the bad, the virtuous and the
vicious; [171] and they honor equally the interment
of both, even as we have seen in the case of a young
man who had poisoned himself from the grief he felt
because his wife had been taken away from him.
Their superstitions are infinite; their feasts, their
medicines, their fishing, their hunting, their wars,—in
short, almost their whole life turns upon this pivot;
dreams, above all, have here great credit.
Tout ce pays, & ie crois qu'il en va de mesme ailleurs,
ne manque pas d'hommes meschans, lesquels
par enuie ou par vengeance, ou autre motif, empoisonnent
ou ensorcellent, & en fin tost ou tard font
mourir ceux qu'ils entreprennent. Quand telles gens
sont surpris, on les execute sur le champ, sans autre
forme de procés, & il n'en est autre bruit. Pour les
autres meurtres ils [172] les vengent sur toute la Nation
du meurtrier; aussi ne sçay-je que cette sorte de
gens qu'ils facent mourir impunément. I'ay bien
connu vne fille larronnesse, qui fut aussi tost assommée
sans aucune recherche, mais ç'auoit esté par son propre
frere: s'il paroist quelque traistre qui machine la ruine
du Pays, ils taschent en commun de s'en défaire au
plustost; mais ces accidens sont fort rares.
This whole country, and I believe it is the same
elsewhere, is not lacking in wicked men, who, from
motives of envy or vengeance, or from other cause,
poison or bewitch, and, in short, put to death sooner
or later those whom they wish to injure. When such
people are caught, they are put to death on the spot,
without any form of trial, and there is no disturbance
about it. As to other murders, they [172] are avenged
upon the whole Nation of the murderer; so that is
the only class I know about that they put to death
with impunity. I knew indeed a girl that stole, who
was at once killed without any inquiry, but it was by
her own brother. If some traitor appears, who is
planning the ruin of the Country, they endeavor in
common to get rid of him as soon as possible; but
these accidents are very rare.
Ils disent que ces Sorciers les ruinent; car si quelqu'vn
a reüssy en quelque entreprise, si la traitte, si la
chasse luy a succedé; aussi-tost ces méchans l'ensorcellent,
ou quelque autre de sa maison, afin qu'il consomme
tout en Medecins & Medecines. Aussi pour
remedier à ces sorts, & autres maladies, il y a vne infinité
124
de Medecins qu'ils appellent Arendiouane. Ces
gens à [173] mon aduis son[t] vrays Sorciers, qui ont
accez au Diable. Les vns ne font que iuger du mal, &
ce en diuerses facons, sçauoir est, par Pyromantie, par
Hydromantie, Negromantie, par festins, par danses
& chansons. Les autres s'efforcent de guerir le mal
par souflemens, breuuages & autres singeries ridicules,
qui n'ont aucune vertu ny efficacité naturelle. Mais
les vns & les autres ne font rien sans grands presens,
& sans bonnes recompenses.
They say that the Sorcerers ruin them; for if any
one has succeeded in an enterprise, if his trading or
hunting is successful, immediately these wicked men
bewitch him, or some member of his family, so that
they have to spend it all in Doctors and Medicines.
Hence, to cure these and other diseases, there are a
large number of Doctors whom they call Arendiouane.
These persons, in [173] my opinion, are true Sorcerers,
who have access to the Devil. Some only judge
of the evil, and that in divers ways, namely, by Pyromancy,
by Hydromancy, Necromancy, by feasts,
dances, and songs; the others endeavor to cure the
disease by blowing, by potions, and by other ridiculous
tricks, which have neither any virtue nor natural
efficacy. But neither class do anything without generous
presents and good pay.
On void en ce Pays quelques Deuins, qu'ils appellent
encore Arendiouane, & qui se meslent de faire tomber
ou cesser la pluye, & predire les choses futures.
Le Diable leur reuele quelques secrets, mais auec
tant d'obscuritez, qu'on n'a garde de les arguer de
mensonge: témoin vn du village de Scanonaenrat [174]
lequel vn peu auparauant l'embrasement des bourgades
cy dessus mẽtionnées, auoit veu en songe trois
flammes qui tomboient du Ciel sur lesdites bourgades.
Mais le Diable ne luy auoit declaré le sens de cet
enigme: car ayant obtenu du village vn chien blanc
pour en faire festin, & en impetrer l'intelligence, il
demeura aussi ignorant apres comme auparauant.
There are here some Soothsayers, whom they call
also Arendiouane and who undertake to cause the rain
to fall or to cease, and to predict future events. The
Devil reveals to them some secrets, but with so much
obscurity that one is unable to accuse them of falsehood;
witness one of the village of Scanonaenrat38
[174] who, a little while before the burning of the
villages before mentioned, had seen in a dream three
flames falling from the Sky on those villages. But
the Devil had not declared to him the meaning of
this enigma; for, having obtained from the village a
white dog, to make a feast with it and to seek information
by it, he remained as ignorant afterward
as before.
Dernierement comme i'estois chez Louys de saincte
Foy, vne vieille sorciere ou deuineresse dudit village,
dist qu'elle auoit veu ceux qui estoient allez à la
guerre, qu'ils reuenoient, & amenoient vn prisonnier.
Nous verrons si elle a dit vray: son procedé est par
pyromantie: elle vous figure en sa cabane le lac des
Hiroquois, puis d'vn costé elle fait autant de feux
comme il y a de personnes qui ont marché en [175]
campagn[e]; & de l'autre costé encore autant de feux,
qu'ils ont d'ennemis à combattre. Puis si son sort
reüssit, elle donne à entendre que les feux de deça ont
126
trauersé, & cela signifie, que les guerriers ont desia
passé le lac. Vn feu qui y esteint l'autre, marque vn
ennemy défait, que si il l'attire à soy sans l'esteindre,
c'est vn prisonnier pris à mercy. C'est ainsi, pour
finir ce discours, qui seroit trop long, si ie voulois tout
dire, que le Diable amuse ce pauure peuple, substituant
ses impietez & superstitions, en la place de la conformité,
qu'ils deuroient auoir à la prouidence de
Dieu, & du culte qu'ils luy deuroient rendre.
Lastly, when I was in the house of Louys de saincte
Foy, an old woman, a sorceress, or female soothsayer
of that village, said she had seen those who had gone
to the war, and that they were bringing back a prisoner.
We shall see if she has spoken the truth. Her
method is by pyromancy. She draws for you in her
hut the lake of the Hiroquois;39
then on one side she
makes as many fires as there are persons who have
gone on [175] the expedition, and on the other as
many fires as they have enemies to fight. Then, if
her spell succeeds, she lets it be understood that the
fires from this side have run over, and that signifies
that the warriors have already crossed the lake. One
fire extinguishing another marks an enemy defeated;
but if it attracts it to itself without extinguishing it,
that is a prisoner taken at mercy. It is thus,—to
finish my discourse, which would be too long if I
tried to say everything,—that the Devil amuses this
poor people, substituting his impieties and superstitions
in place of the compliance they ought to have
with the providence of God, and the worship they
ought to render him.
Quant à ce qui concerne les mœurs, les Hurons sont
lascifs, quoy qu'en deux chefs moins que plusieurs
Chrestiens, qui rougiront [176] vn iour deuant eux.
Vous n'y verrez point de baisers, ny de caresses deshonnestez;
& dans le mariage vn homme y demeurera
les deux & trois ans entiers, sans cognoistre sa
femme, tandis qu'elle est nourrice. Ils sont gourmands
iusques à rendre gorge: vray est que cela n'est
pas souuent, mais seulement en quelques festins superstitieux.
Encore ne s'y trouuent-ils pas volontiers;
& d'ailleurs ils supportent beaucoup mieux la
faim que nous; si bien qu'apres auoir ieusné les deux
ou trois iours entiers, vous en verrez encore ramer,
porter, chanter, rire, gausser, cõme s'ils auoiẽt biẽ
disné. Ils sont fort faineants, menteurs, larrons, importuns
demandeurs. Quelques-vns les estiment vindicatifs;
mais pour moy ie crois que ce vice est plus
notable ailleurs qu'icy. On y voit reluire d'assez
belles vertus [177] morales. Vous y remarquez en
premier lieu vne grande amour & vnion, qu'ils sont
soigneux de cultiuer par le moyen de leurs mariages,
de leurs presens, de leurs festins, & de leurs frequentes
visites. Au retour de leur pesche, de leur chasse, &
de leur traitte, ils s'entredonnent beaucoup: s'ils y
ont pris quelque chose d'exquis, ou mesme s'ils l'ont
128
acheté, ou si on le leur a donné, ils en font festin à
tout le village: l'hospitalité enuers toute sorte d'estrãgers
y est remarquable. Ils leur presentẽt en ces
festins ce qu'ils ont preparé de meilleur, & cõme i'ay
desia dit, ie ne sçay si ailleurs il se recontre rien de
pareil en ce sujet. Il me semble auoir leu dans les vies
[des] Peres, qu'vne armée Payenne se conuertit, voyant
la charité & l'hospitalité d'vne ville Chrestienne,
dont les habitans s'efforçoient à l'enuy de [178] caresser
& festoyer les Estrangers. Iugeant bien que
ceux-là deuoient professer la vraye Religion, & adorer
le vray Dieu Pere commun de tous, qui auoient
vn cœur si benin, & faisoient indifferemment tant de
bien à toute sorte de personnes. Nous auons aussi esperance
que nostre Seigneur donnera en fin la lumiere
de sa cognoissance, & communiquera l'ardeur de ses
graces à cette Nation, qu'il semble y auoir disposée
par la pratique de cette belle vertu. Ils ne refusent
iamais la porte à vn Estranger; & l'ayans receu vne
fois en leur maison, ils luy font part de ce qu'ils y
ont de meilleur: ils ne luy donnent iamais son congé;
& quand il le prend de soy-mesme, il en est quitte
pour vn simple grand-mercy. Cela me fait esperer,
que si vne fois il plaist à Dieu de les illuminer, ils correspondront
parfaictement [179] aux graces & aux inspirations
de son Fils. Et puis qu'il est venu comme
Estranger en sa propre maison, ie me promets que
ces bonnes gens le receuront à toutes heures en leur
cœur, sans le faire attendre à la porte par trop de dureté;
sans luy rien espargner en toute l'estenduë de
leurs affections: sans le trahir & le chasser dehors par
quelque faute signalée, & sans rien pretendre en son
seruice que son honneur & sa gloire: qui est tout ce
130
qu'on peut souhaitter de fidelité en vne ame, pour le
bon vsage & sainct employ des faueurs du Ciel.
As regards morals, the Hurons are lascivious,
although in two leading points less so than many
Christians, who will blush [176] some day in their
presence. You will see no kissing nor immodest caressing;
and in marriage a man will remain two or
three years apart from his wife, while she is nursing.
They are gluttons, even to disgorging; it is true, that
does not happen often, but only in some superstitious
feasts,—these, however, they do not attend willingly.
Besides, they endure hunger much better than we,—so
well that after having fasted two or three entire
days you will see them still paddling, carrying loads,
singing, laughing, bantering, as if they had dined
well. They are very lazy, are liars, thieves, pertinacious
beggars. Some consider them vindictive; but,
in my opinion, this vice is more noticeable elsewhere
than here. We see shining among them some rather
noble moral [177] virtues. You note, in the first
place, a great love and union, which they are careful
to cultivate by means of their marriages, of their
presents, of their feasts, and of their frequent visits.
On returning from their fishing, their hunting, and
their trading, they exchange many gifts; if they have
thus obtained something unusually good, even if they
have bought it, or if it has been given to them, they
make a feast to the whole village with it. Their
hospitality towards all sorts of strangers is remarkable;
they present to them in their feasts the best of
what they have prepared, and, as I have already said,
I do not know if anything similar, in this regard, is
to be found elsewhere. I think I have read, in the
lives of the Fathers, that a Pagan army was converted
on seeing the charity and hospitality of a Christian
town, the inhabitants of which vied with each other
in [178] caressing and feasting the Strangers,—judging
well that those must profess the true Religion
and worship the true God, the common Father of all,
who had hearts so benign and who did so much good
to all sorts of persons, without distinction. We have
also hope that our Lord will give at last the light of
his knowledge, and will communicate the fire of his
graces, to this Nation, which he seems to have disposed
thereto by the practice of this noble virtue.
They never close the door upon a Stranger, and, once
having received him into their houses, they share
with him the best they have; they never send him
away, and, when he goes away of his own accord, he
repays them by a simple "thank you." This makes
me hope that, if once it pleases God to illumine
them, they will respond perfectly [179] to the grace
and inspiration of his Son. And, since he has come
as a Stranger into his own house, I promise myself
that these good people will receive him at all hours
into their hearts without making him wait too long on
account of their hardness, without withholding from
him anything in the whole range of their affections,
without betraying him or driving him outside by any
serious fault, and without claiming anything in his
service other than his honor and glory; which is all
the fidelity one can ask in a soul for the good use and
holy employment of the favors of Heaven.
Que diray-je de leur estrange patience dans leur
pauureté, disette & maladies? Nous auons veu cette
année les villages entiers sur la litiere, nourris d'vn
peu de sagamité insipide, & cependant pas vn mot
pour se plaindre, pas vn mouuement [180] d'impatience.
Ils reçoiuent bien plus constamment la nouuelle
de la mort, que ces Messieurs & Dames de la
Chrestienté, à qui on en oseroit ouurir la bouche. Nos
Sauuages l'entendent non seulement sans desespoir,
mais sans se troubler, sans pallir ou blesmir tant soit
peu. Nous auons sur tout admiré la constance de nos
nouueaux Chrestiens: le penultiéme qui est mort,
nommé Ioseph Oatij a demeuré sur la dure l'espace
de quatre ou cinq mois, tant deuant qu'apres son Baptesme,
si décharné qu'il n'auoit que les os; dãs vne
cabane si chetiue, que les vents y souffloient de tous
costez, couuert pendant les froidures de l'hyuer d'vne
peau fort legere, de bestes noires ou d'escurieux noirs,
nourry fort pauuremẽt. On ne l'a cependant iamais
ouy faire aucune plainte. Nostre Seigneur Iesus-Christ
soit à iamais [181] loüé. C'est sur ces dispositions
& fondemens, que nous esperons auec la grace
de Dieu bastir l'edifice de la Religiõ Chrestienne parmy
ce peuple, qui desia d'ailleurs nous est grandemẽt
affectiõné, & a vne grãde opinion de nous. C'est à
nous maintenãt à correspõdre à nostre vocatiõ, & à la
voix de N. S. qui nous dit, videte regiones, quoniam albæ
sunt iam ad messẽ. Il est vray, mon R. P. que messis
multa, operarij pauci, & de plus nous nous trouuõs fort
foibles pour vne si grãde entreprise; au moins moy;
& partant ie supplie nostre R. P. Prouincial & V. R.
de nous enuoyer du secours. Sur quoy ie m'escrierois
132
volõtiers au bon Dieu, mitte quem missurus es;
car pour nous, nous sõmes des enfans qui ne faisons
que begayer. Cependant nous confians en la bonté
de N. Seign. & non en nos propres forces & industries,
voicy ce que [182] nous auons fait pour la conuersion
de ce Peuple, depuis nostre arriuée. Premierement
nous-nous sommes employez en l'estude de
la langue, qui à cause de la diuersité de ses mots composez
est quasi infinie. On ne peut neantmoins rien
faire sans cét estude. Tous les François qui sont icy
s'y sont ardemment portez, ramenant l'ancien vsage
d'escrire sur des escorces de bouleau faute de papier.
Les P. Dauost & Daniel y ont trauaillé par dessus
tous. Ils y sçauẽt autant de mots que moy, & peut-estre
plus. Mais ils n'ont pas encore la prattique
pour les former & assembler promptement; quoy que
le Pere Daniel s'explique desia passablement. Pour
moy qui y fais leçon à nos François, si Dieu ne m'assiste
extraordinairement, encor me faudra-il aller long
temps à l'escole des Sauuages, telle est la fecondité
[183] de leur langue. Cela n'empesche pas que ie
n'entende quasi tout ce qu'ils disent, & que ie ne leur
face assez comprendre mes conceptions, mesmes dans
l'explication de nos plus ineffables mystres. Apres
cela, nous nous sommes employez à la visite, sollicitation
& instruction des malades, qui ont esté comme
i'ay dit en tres-grand nombre; ç'a esté dãs ce pieux
exercice que nous auons acquis des ames à nostre
Seigneur, iusques au nombre de treize. La premiere
fut vne petite fil[l]ette de ce village aagée seulement
de quatre ou cinq mois, elle mourut vn quart d'heure
après son baptesme, auquel elle fut nõmée Iosephe,
pour accomplir vn vœu que i'auois faict de donner ce
nom au premier que nous regenererions des sainctes
134
eaux, en recognoissance de tant de faueurs que nous
auons receu & receuons [184] par l'entremise de ce
grand Sainct. Ce fut le sixiesme Septembre 1634.
La deuxiesme, fut vne autre petite fille d'enuirõ deux
ans, que nous baptisames le lendemain; elle mourut
l'onziesme du mesme mois & an, ayant esté nommée
Marie.
What shall I say of their strange patience in their
poverty, famine, and sickness? We have seen this
year whole villages prostrated, their food a little insipid
sagamité; and yet not a word of complaint, not
a movement [180] of impatience. They receive indeed
the news of death with more constancy than
those Christian Gentlemen and Ladies to whom one
would not dare to mention it. Our Savages hear of
it not only without despair, but without troubling
themselves, without the slightest pallor or change of
countenance.
We have especially admired the constancy
of our new Christians. The next to the last one
who died, named Joseph Oatij, lay on the bare ground
during four or five months, not only before but after
his Baptism,—so thin that he was nothing but bones;
in a lodge so wretched that the winds blew in on all
sides; covered during the cold of winter with a very
light skin of some black animals, perhaps black squirrels,
and very poorly nourished. He was never heard
to make a complaint, however. May our Lord Jesus
Christ be ever [181] praised. It is on such dispositions
and foundations that we hope, with the grace of
God, to build the edifice of the Christian Religion
among these people, who, besides, are already affectionately
inclined toward us and have a great opinion
of us. It is now our part to correspond to our vocation,
and to the voice of Our Savior, who says to us,
videte regiones, quoniam albæ sunt iam ad messem. It
is true, my Reverend Father, that messis multa, operarii
pauci, and, besides, we are very weak for so great
an enterprise, at least I am, and therefore I beseech
our Reverend Father Provincial and Your Reverence
to send us help. For this I could cry willingly to the
good God, mitte quem missurus es; as for us, we are
children, who can only stammer. Yet see what we,
trusting in the goodness of Our Lord, and not in our
own strength and skill, [182] have done for the conversion
of this People since our arrival. In the first
place, we have been employed in the study of the
language, which, on account of the diversity of its
compound words, is almost infinite. One can, nevertheless,
do nothing without this study. All the
French who are here have eagerly applied themselves
to it, reviving the ancient usage of writing on birch-bark,
for want of paper. Fathers Davost and Daniel
have worked at it, beyond all; they know as many
words as I, and perhaps more; but they have not yet
had practice in forming and joining them together
promptly, although Father Daniel already explains
himself passably well. As for me, who give lessons
therein to our French, if God does not assist me extraordinarily,
I shall yet have to go a long time to
the school of the Savages, so prolific is [183] their
language. That does not prevent me from understanding
almost all they say, and from making them
fairly understand my meaning, even in the explanation
of our most ineffable mysteries. In addition,
we have employed ourselves in visiting, entreating,
and instructing the sick, who have been, as I have
said, very numerous. It has been in this pious exercise
that we have won souls for our Lord, to the
number of thirteen. The first was a little girl of this
village, only four or five months old; she died a
quarter of an hour after her baptism, in which she
was named Josepha, to fulfill a vow I had made to
give this name to the first that we should regenerate
with the holy waters,—in gratitude for so many favors
that we have received and are receiving [184] by
the interposition of that great Saint. This was on
the sixth of September, 1634. The second was another
little girl, about two years of age, whom we
baptized on the next day. She died on the eleventh
of the same month and year, having been named
Marie.
Le 26. du mesme mois ie baptisay Marie Oquiaendis
mere du Capitaine de ce village, ayeule de l'autre
Marie. Celle-cy vit encore, & attribuë sa guerisõ à
la vertu du S. Baptesme, le publiant par tout. En
effet elle estoit quasi aux abois, & dés qu'elle fut lauée
de ces sacrées eaux, elle commença à se mieux
porter. Le 20. d'Octobre, ie partis pour aller à la
Nation du Petun: en ce voyage Dieu me fit la faueur
de baptifer & enuoyer au Ciel trois petits enfans,
l'vn desquels entre autres alloit ietter les derniers
souspirs quãd i'arriuay dãs sa cabane, où à peine eus-je
le loisir [185] de l'ondoyer. Au retour du voyage,
ie trouuay que le P. Daniel auoit baptisé Ioseph Ioutaya,
qu'on croyoit deuoir expirer sur le chãp. Ie
l'auois instruit auparauãt. Il a suruécu long temps,
tousiours languissant, & faisant beaucoup d'actes de
vertu. Nous l'auons assisté corporellement & spirituellement;
si bien que luy & toute sa cabane n'attribuoient
la prolongatiõ de sa vie, qu'au double secours
qu'il a receu de nostre part. En fin estant mort heureusement
dãs la cõfession & inuocatiõ du vray Dieu,
& dans la repentãce de ses pechez, nous l'enterrasmes
solẽnellement comme il l'auoit desiré. Nous auõs admiré
le soin, la charité & la perseuerãce de sa fẽme,
dãs les deuoirs & seruices qu'elle luy rẽdoit pendãt
vne fort longue, fort salle, & fort puãte maladie.
Elle & toute sa cabane (où nous en auons déja baptisé
136
trois) nous est demeurée [186] fort affectionnée, & ils
m'ont protesté plusieurs fois qu'ils seroient tous à la
vie, à la mort, & au delà en nostre disposition. Mais
nous ne les iugeons pas encore assez instruits. C'est
en ceste cabane où demeure le premier Huron que
i'aye iamais baptizé qui fut l'an mil six cens vingt-neuf,
auant nostre depart de ce Pays. C'estoit vn
petit enfant tenu pour mort, lequel sembla renaistre
& reuiure doublement dans les eaux viuifiantes du
sainct Baptesme. Il vit encore aagé d'enuiron cinq
ans, & est fort gentil.
On the 26th of the same month, I baptized Marie
Oquiaendis, the mother of the Captain of this village,
grandmother of the other Marie. She is still living,
and attributes her recovery to the virtue of Holy Baptism,
publishing it everywhere. In truth, she was
almost gone; and as soon as she was washed with
the sacred waters she began to improve. On the
20th of October, I set out to go to the Tobacco Nation.40
In this journey God granted me the favor of
baptizing and sending to Heaven three little children,
one of whom, among others, was about to give
forth his last breath when I reached the lodge and
had scarcely time [185] to sprinkle him. When I returned
from the journey I found that Father Daniel
had baptized Joseph Joutaya, who was believed to be
at the point of death. I had instructed him previously.
He survived a long time, in a languishing
condition, and doing many acts of virtue. We helped
him both bodily and spiritually; so well that he and
all his family attributed the prolongation of his life
to nothing but the double assistance he had received
from us. At last, having happily died in the confession
and invocation of the true God, and in repentance
for his sins, we solemnly interred him as he
had desired. We admired the care, the charity, and
the perseverance of his wife in the duties and services
she rendered to him during a long, very dirty, and
very disgusting sickness. She and all her house,
(where we have already baptized three) have continued
[186] warmly attached to us; and they have
often protested to me that they will all be, in life, in
death, and beyond, at our service. But we do not
judge them yet sufficiently instructed. It is this cabin
where lives the first Huron I ever baptized, which
was in the year one thousand six hundred and twenty-nine,
before our departure from this Country. It
was a little child, looked upon as dead, who seemed
to be born and live again in a double sense, in the
life-imparting waters of holy Baptism. He still lives,
being about five years of age, and is very gentle.
Le vingt-vniesme d'Octobre fut baptizé Ioseph Sondaarouhané,
aagé d'enuiron quarante ou cinquante ans;
il auoit vne grande bonté & douceur naturelle, & m'estoit
de longue main affectionné; il rendit son bienheureux
esprit à Dieu le vingtiesme Nouembre. Le
mesme [187] iour fut baptisé Ioachim Tsindacaiendoua,
vieillard de 80. ans. C'estoit vn des Hurons du meilleur
naturel que i'aye connu, le lendemain il quitta
cette vie pour en commencer vne meilleure, comme
nous croyons: nous l'enterrasmes solemnellement en
vn lieu separé. Cette ceremonie attira sur nous les
yeux de tout le village, & causa à plusieurs le desir
qu'on honorast leur sepulture de cette façon, notamment
à Ioseph Ioutaia, cy dessus mentionné: lequel
apres les obseques acheuées me dit qu'il eust esté
bien aise que nous eussions passé au trauers de sa cabane
en l'estat que nous estions habillez, pour nous
veoir du lieu où la maladie le tenoit attaché: car on
luy en auoit fait tant de cas, qu'il declara authentiquement
vouloir estre enterré de nos mains, ce qui
fut fait.
On the twenty-first of October, was baptized Joseph
Sondaarouhané, about forty or fifty years of age.
He had great goodness and natural sweetness, and
had been attached to me for a long time. He yielded
up his blessed spirit to God, on the twentieth of November.
On the same [187] day was baptized Joachim
Tsindacaiendoua, an old man of 80 years. He
was one of the best-natured Hurons I have ever known.
The next day he left this life, to begin a better one,
as we believe; we interred him solemnly in a separate
place. This ceremony attracted upon us the eyes
of the whole village, and caused several to desire
that we should honor their burial in the same way,—notably
Joseph Joutaia, the one above-mentioned,
who, after the obsequies were over, told me that he
would have been very glad if we had passed through
his cabin in the style in which we were dressed, so
that he might see us from the place in which sickness
kept him bound; for they had talked so much to him
about the matter that he declared of his own will that
he wished to be interred by our hands, which was
done.
[188] Puisque ie suis retombé sur le propos de cét
homme, ie diray vne chose memorable qui luy arriua
138
apres son Baptesme. Le Diable luy apparut vn iour
en forme d'vn sien frere decedé. Entrant dans sa cabane,
il ne le salüa pas, & s'asseyant de l'autre cofté
du feu, vis à vis de nostre nouueau Chrestien, il demeura
long-temps sans parler. En fin prenant la parole,
il luy dit, Quoy donc mon frere, vous nous voulez
quitter? Nostre Ioseph, qui n'estoit pas encore
assez duit en cette milice, respondit: non, mõ frere,
ie ne vous veux pas quitter, ie ne vous quitteray
point; & dit-on qu'alors ce faux frere commença à le
caresser. Toutesfois il a depuis protesté plusieurs
fois qu'il desiroit aller au Ciel.
[188] Since I have referred to this man's decision,
I will tell a memorable thing which happened to him
after his Baptism. The Devil appeared to him in the
form of one of his deceased brothers. Entering his
cabin without any salutation, he sat down on the other
side of the fire opposite our new Christian, and remained
a long time without speaking. At last beginning
to speak, he said to him, "How now, my brother,
do you wish to leave us?" Our Joseph, who was
not yet sufficiently equipped for this warfare, replied,
"No, my brother, I don't wish to leave you; I will
not leave you," and it is said this false brother then
began to caress him. Still, he has since declared
several times that he desired to go to Heaven.
Le vingt-septiesme de Nouembre Martin Tsicok,
vieillard desia [189] fort aagé, & d'vne humeur fort
douce, fut baptisé. Ce bon hõme ne cessa d'inuoquer
Iesus & Marie depuis son baptesme iusques au 15.
Decembre qu'il mourut. Ie commençay à l'instruire
par cette verité: que nos ames apres la mort alloient
toutes en Enfer ou en Paradis: Que le Paradis estoit
vn lieu remply de delices & de contentemens: & au
contraire, l'Enfer, vn lieu de feux, de peines & de
tourmens eternels. Qu'au reste, il auisast, tandis qu'il
estoit encore en vie, auquel de ces deux lieux il vouloit
aller, & demeurer pour iamais. Alors ce bon
vieillard se tournant vers sa femme, Ma femme, luy
dit-il, ne vaut-il pas bien mieux aller au Ciel? I'ay
peur de ces effroyables feux d'enfer: sa femme fut
de mesme aduis; & ainsi il presta volontiers l'oreille
aux instructiõs qu'on luy dõna.
On the twenty-seventh of November, Martin Tsicok,
already a very [189] old man and of a very gentle
disposition, was baptized. This good man did not
cease to invoke Jesus and Mary from his baptism until
the 15th of December, when he died. I began to
instruct him with this truth, that our souls after death
all go to Hell or to Paradise; that Paradise is a place
full of delights and contentment, and on the contrary
that Hell is a place of fires, of pains, and eternal torments;
that, besides, he should think, while he was
yet in life, to which of these places he desired to go
and dwell forever. Then this good old man, turning
to his wife, said to her, "My wife, is it not indeed
better to go to Heaven? I am afraid of those horrible
fires of hell." His wife was of the same opinion,
and thus he willingly listened to the instructions we
gave him.
Le dixneufiesme Ianuier, ie partis [190] pour aller
en la maison de Louys de saincte Foy, distante de nostre
village de sept ou huict lieuës. Ie n'auois peû
ny deu y aller plustost, pour ce qu'il estoit allé en la
140
Nation neutre querir son Pere, qui y estoit demeuré
perclus.
On the nineteenth of January, I set out [190] for
the house of Louys de saincte Foy, distant from our
village seven or eight leagues. I had been neither
able nor willing to go sooner, as he had gone to the
neutral Nation41
to seek his father, who had remained
there, a cripple.
En ce voyage, passant par Onnentissati, i'allay voir
vn nommé oukhahitoüa, qui auoit l'an passé embarqué
vn de nos hommes: le trouuant à l'extremité, ie l'instruisis,
il creut, il detesta sa vie passée, il fut baptisé
sous le nom de François, & deux iours apres quitta ce
monde pour s'enuoler au Ciel.
On this journey passing through Onnentissati,42
I
went to see a man named oukhahitoüa, who last year
embarked one of our men. Finding him dying, I instructed
him; he believed, he detested his past life,
he was baptized under the name of François, and two
days later quitted this world to fly to Heaven.
Le vingt-neufiesme de Mars nous baptisames solemnellement
en nostre petite Chapelle Ioseph Oatij:
François petit Pré luy seruit de Parain, plusieurs y
assisterent. Il y auoit long-temps que nous l'instruisions;
c'est pourquoy il respondit [191] luy-mesme
aux interrogations que ie luy faisois en langue Huronne.
Ce bon ieune homme estoit d'vne complexion
fort valetudinaire; nous l'auions gaigné par vne continuelle
assistance, qui l'auoit remis par deux fois: de
sorte que tres-volontiers il remit entre nos mains le
soin de son ame, laquelle alla heureusement à Dieu le
quatorziesme Auril, apres auoir esté fortifiée du Sacrement
d'extreme-Onction.
On the twenty-ninth of March, we solemnly baptized
in our little Chapel Joseph Oatij; François petit Pré43
was his Godfather, and many were present. We had
been instructing him a long time, and hence he replied
[191] personally to the questions I put to him in the
Huron tongue. This good young man was of a very
sickly constitution; we had gained him by continual
assistance, which had twice saved his life; so that he
willingly put in our hands the care of his soul, which
went happily to God on the fourteenth of April, after
having been fortified by the Sacrament of extreme
Unction.
Nous auons sur tout admiré sa patience, & sa tranquillité
d'esprit, principalement depuis le baptesme.
A peine auions nous commencé à l'instruire, qu'il
commença à dire fort souuent & de iour & de nuict;
Iesus ayez pitié de moy. Marie & Ioseph secourez
moy.
We especially admired his patience and tranquility
of mind, especially after his baptism. Scarcely had
we begun to instruct him when he began to say very
often, both by day and by night, "Jesus, have pity
on me! Mary and Joseph, help me!"
Finalement le vingtiesme d'Auril, ie baptisay à
Oënrio vne femme fort vieille. Elle deceda le vingt-quatriesme;
[192] du commencement que ie l'abborday,
& que ie luy demanday si elle vouloit aller au
Ciel ou en Enfer: elle ne respondoit autre chose, sinon
qu'elle iroit où son fils voudroit. Mais luy ayant esté
142
dit que son pere feu Ioachim Tsindacaiendoua estoit
allé au Ciel: I'y veux donc aller, dit-elle.
Lastly, on the twentieth of April, I baptized at
Oënrio a very old woman, who died on the twenty-fourth.
[192] At first, when I talked to her, and
asked her whether she wished to go to Heaven or
to Hell, she did not answer, except to say that she
would go where her son wished. But having told
her that her father, the late Joachim Tsindacaiendoua,
had gone to Heaven, she said, "Then I wish to go
there!"
Ce sont là les fruicts que nous auons recueilly de
nos visites, & instructions particulieres. Ie croy que
la moisson eust esté plus grande, si i'eusse peu abandonner
nostre village, & parcourir les autres. Plaise
à nostre Seigneur accepter ces petites premices, &
nous donner les forces & les moyens d'en faire dauantage.
On en a instruit beaucoup d'autres, qui demandoient
le Baptesme fort instãment. Mais ne les voyant
pas en dãger de mort, nous les auons reseruez
pour vne plus grãde instructiõ.
These, then, are the fruits that we have gathered
from our visits and private instructions. I believe
the harvest would have been greater if I could have
left our village, and visited the others. May it please
our Lord to accept these few first fruits, and give us
strength and opportunities to gather more of them.
We have instructed many others, who asked very urgently
for Baptism; but not seeing them in danger
of death, we have kept them back for further instructions.
[193] Enuiron le mois de Decembre les neiges commencerent
à prendre pied, & les Sauuages se rendirent
sedentaires dans le village. Car tout l'Esté,
& tout l'Automne, ils sont la plus-part ou dans des
cabanes chãpestres à prendre garde à leurs bleds, ou
sur le lac à la pesche, ou en traite; ce qui n'est pas
vne petite incommodité pours les instruire. Les voyãt
donc ainsi reünis, au commencemẽt de ceste année,
nous resolusmes de prescher publiquement à tous, &
leur faire cognoistre le sujet de nostre venuë en leur
Pays, qui n'est pas pour leurs pelleteries, mais pour
leur annoncer le vray Dieu, & son fils Iesus-Christ,
Sauueur vniuersel de nos ames.
[193] About the month of December, the snow began
to lie on the ground, and the Savages settled
down in the village. For, during the whole Summer
and Autumn, they are for the most part either in their
rural cabins, taking care of their crops, or on the
lake fishing, or trading; which makes it not a little
inconvenient to instruct them. Seeing them, therefore,
thus gathered together at the beginning of this
year, we resolved to preach publicly to all, and to
acquaint them with the reason of our coming into
their Country, which is not for their furs, but to declare
to them the true God and his son, Jesus Christ,
the universal Savior of our souls.
Nous faisons cette Instruction ou Catechisme en
nostre cabane: car nous n'auons point encore d'autre
Eglise capable. C'est le plus souuent [194] que nous
pouuons: car leurs festins, leurs danses, & leurs ieux,
les occupent tellement, qu'on ne les assemble pas
comme l'on veut.
We gave the Instruction or Catechism in our cabin,
for we had as yet no other suitable Church. This
is often the most [194] we can do; for their feasts,
dances, and games so occupy them that we cannot
get them together as we would like.
La façon ordinaire que nous y tenons est cette-cy.
Nous appellons le monde par le moyen du Capitaine
du village, qui les assemble tous chez nous comme en
144
Conseil, ou bien au son de la clochette. Ie me sers
du surplis & du bonnet carré, pour donner plus de
maiesté. Au commencement nous chantons à genoux
le Pater noster reduit en vers Hurons. Le P. Daniel
comme autheur de cela chante vn couplet tout seul,
& puis nous le rechantons tous ensemble, & ceux
d'entre les Hurons, principalement les petits enfans
qui le sçauent desia, prennent plaisir de chanter auec
nous, & les autres d'escouter. Cela fait, comme vn
chacun est assis, ie me leue, & fais [195] faire le signe
de la Croix à tous, puis ayãt recapitulé ce que i'ay dit
la derniere fois, i'explique quelque chose de nouueau.
Apres cela nous interrogeons les ieunes enfans, &
les filles, donnans ou vn petit canon de verre, ou de
la racade à ceux qui l'ont merité. Les parents sont
fort aises de veoir leurs enfans bien dire, & remporter
quelque petit prix, dont ils se rendent dignes par
le soin qu'ils ont de venir en particulier se faire
instruire. Nous de nostre costé, pour leur donner plus
d'emulation, faisons reprendre chaque leçon, par nos
deux petits garçons François, qui s'entreinterrogent
l'vn l'autre; ce qui rauit les Sauuages en admiration.
En fin tout se conclud par le discours des Anciens,
qui proposent leurs difficultez, & quelquesfois me
[196] font escouter à mon tour le narré de leur creance.
The usual method that we follow is this: We call
together the people by the help of the Captain of the
village, who assembles them all in our house as in
Council, or perhaps by the sound of the bell. I use
the surplice and the square cap, to give more majesty
to my appearance. At the beginning, we chant on
our knees the Pater noster, translated into Huron
verse. Father Daniel, as its author, chants a couplet
alone, and then we all together chant it again; and
those among the Hurons, principally the little ones,
who already know it, take pleasure in chanting it
with us, and the others in listening. That done,
when every one is seated, I rise and make [195] the
sign of the Cross for all; then, having recapitulated
what I said the last time, I explain something new.
After that we question the young children and the
girls, giving a little bead of glass or porcelain to
those who deserve it. The parents are very glad to
see their children answer well and carry off some
little prize, of which they render themselves worthy
by the care they take to come privately to get instruction.
On our part, to arouse their emulation,
we have each lesson retraced by our two little French
boys, who question each other,—which transports the
Savages with admiration. Finally the whole is concluded
by the talk of the Old Men, who propound
their difficulties, and sometimes [196] make me listen
in my turn to the statement of their belief.
Nous commençasmes nos Catechismes par cette verité
memorable, que les ames qui sont immortelles,
vont toutes apres la mort en Paradis ou en Enfer. Et
c'est ainsi que nous les abordons, soit en public, soit
en particulier. I'adioustay qu'ils auoiẽt le choix pendant
la vie, de prendre party apres la mort icy ou là,
où ils aduiseroient presentement. A quoy vn bon
veillard m'ayant dit, Aille qui voudra dans les feux
d'Enfer, pour moy ie desire aller au Ciel. Tous les
146
autres le suiuirent, & vsans de la mesme response,
nous prierent de leur en monstrer le chemin, & oster
les pierres, les arbres & les halliers qui y sont, & qui
pourroient les arrester.
We began our Catechizing by this memorable truth,
that their souls, which are immortal, all go after
death either to Paradise or to Hell. It is thus we
approach them, either in public or in private. I
added that they had the choice, during life, to participate
after death in the one or the other,—which
one, they ought now to consider. Whereupon one
honest old man said to me, "Let him who will, go
to the fires of Hell; I want to go to Heaven;" all
the others followed and making use of the same answer,
begged us to show them the way, and to take
away the stones, the trees, and the thickets therein,
which might stop them.
Nos Hurons comme vous voyez ne sont pas si massifs
qu'on croiroit biẽ, [197] ils me semblent auoir le
sens cõmun assez bon, & ie les recognois vniuersellemẽt
fort dociles. Il y en a neantmoins d'opiniastres,
& attachez à leurs superstitiõs & mauuaises coustumes;
ce sont notamment les vieillards: car horsmis ceux là,
qui ne sont pas en grand nombre, tout le reste ne sçait
rien en leur croyance. Nous en auons en nostre village
deux ou trois de ce nombre. Ie suis souuent
aux prises auec eux, où ie les conuaincs & les mets
en contradiction, de telle sorte qu'ils aduoüent ingenuement
leur ignorance, & les autres se mocquent
d'eux; neantmoins ils ne se rendent pas, ayant pour
tout refuge, que leur Pays n'est pas comme le nostre,
qu'ils ont vn autre Dieu, vn autre Paradis, en vn mot
d'autres coustumes.
Our Hurons, as you see, are not so dull as one
might think them; [197] they seem to me to have
rather good common sense, and I find them universally
very docile. Nevertheless, some of them are
obstinate, and attached to their superstitions and evil
customs. These are principally the old people; for
beyond these, who are not numerous, the rest know
nothing of their own belief. We have two or three
of this number in our village. I am often in conflict
with them; and then I show them they are wrong,
and make them contradict themselves, so that they
frankly admit their ignorance, and the others ridicule
them; still they will not yield, always falling back
upon this, that their Country is not like ours, that
they have another God, another Paradise, in a word,
other customs.
Ils nous racontent que cette femme nommé Eataentsic
tomba du Ciel [198] dedans les eaux, dont estoit
couuerte la terre, & que peu à peu la terre se descouurit.
Ie leur demande qui a creé ce Ciel, où cette
femme n'a pû se tenir, & ils demeurent muets;
comme aussi quãd ie les presse de me dire qui auoit
produit la terre, veu qu'elle estoit au fond des eaux
auparauant la cheute de ceste femme. Vn certain
me demanda assez subtilement sur ce propos, où estoit
Dieu auant la creation du monde. La response me
fut plus facile, apres S. Augustin, qu'à eux l'intelligence
de la question qu'ils me faisoient. Vn autre
bon vieillard estant tombé malade, ne vouloit point
oüyr parler d'aller au Ciel, disant qu'il desiroit aller
148
où estoient ses ancestres. Quelques iours apres il se
rendit, & me fit vn plaisant conte. Resioüys toy, me
dit-il, car ie suis reuenu du pays des ames, & ie n'y
en ay plus trouué, [199] elles sont toutes allées au
Ciel. Il n'y a rien qui ne serue à salut, quand il
plaist à Dieu, iusques aux songes.
They tell us how the woman, named Eataentsic,
fell from Heaven [198] into the waters with which
the earth was covered; and that little by little, the
earth became bare. I ask them who created the
Heaven in which this woman could not stay, and
they remain mute; as also when I press them to tell
me who formed the earth, seeing that it was beneath
the waters before the fall of this woman. One man
asked me very cunningly, in this connection, where
God was before the creation of the world. The reply
was more easy for me, following St. Augustine,
than the grasp of the question put to me was for
them. Another good old man, having fallen sick,
did not wish to hear of going to Heaven, saying he
desired to go where his ancestors were. Some days
afterwards, he came to me and told me a pleasant
story: "Rejoice," he said, "for I have returned from
the country of souls, and I have found none there
any longer; [199] they have all gone to Heaven."
There is nothing which does not serve for salvation
when God pleases, not even dreams.
Deux choses entre autres nous ont fort aydé, pour
si peu de profit que nous auons desia fait icy, par la
grace de nostre Seigneur. La premiere est, comme
i'ay desia dit, la santé que Dieu nous a conseruée parmy
vne si grande & si vniuerselle contagion: car nos
Hurons ont pensé que s'ils croyoient en Dieu, & le
seruoient comme nous, il[s] ne mouroient pas en si
grand nombre.
Two things among others have aided us very much
in the little we have been able to do here, by the
grace of our Lord; the first is, as I have already said,
the good health that God has granted us in the midst
of sickness so general and so widespread. For our
Hurons have thought that, if they believed in God
and served him as we do, they would not die in so
large numbers.
La seconde est l'assistance temporelle, qu'on a rendu
aux malades. Ayans apporté pour nous quelques
petits rafraichissemens, nous leur en donnions, à l'vn
vn peu de prunes, à l'autre vn peu de raisins; aux autres
quelque autre chose. Les pauures gens venoient
[200] de fort loin pour en auoir tous leur part.
The second is the temporal assistance we have rendered
to the sick. Having brought for ourselves
some few delicacies, we shared them with them, giving
to one a few prunes and to another a few raisins,
to others something else. The poor people came
[200] from great distances to get their share.
Nos François ayant assez heureusement reüssy à la
chasse pendant l'Automne; nous en portions quelque
morceau à tous les malades. Cela leur gagnoit le
cœur. Veu principalemẽt, qu'ils mouroient n'ayãt
ny chair ny poissõ, pour affaisõner leur sagamité.
Adioustez que tous nos François se sont Dieu mercy
comportez si vertueusement, & si paisiblemẽt dedãs &
dehors, pẽdant toute cette année, qu'ils ont attiré la
benediction du Ciel. Nous deuons aussi beaucoup au
glorieux sainct Ioseph espoux de nostre Dame, & protecteur
des Hurons, dont nous auons touché au doigt
l'assistãce plusieurs fois. Ce fut vne chose remarquable,
que le iour de sa feste, & durant l'Octaue, les
commoditez nous venoient de toutes parts.
Our French servants having succeeded very well in
hunting, during the Autumn, we carried portions of
game to all the sick. That chiefly won their hearts,
as they were dying, having neither flesh nor fish
to season their sagamité. Add that all our French
have borne themselves, thank God, so virtuously and
so peaceably on all sides, during the whole year, that
they have drawn down the blessing of Heaven. We
owe much also to our glorious saint Joseph, spouse
of our Lady, and protector of the Hurons, who has
rendered us tangible aid several times. It was a remarkable
thing that on the day of his feast, and during
the Octave, accommodations came to us from all
sides.
150
[201] Auant que de finir, ie diray seulement ce mot
de Louys de saincte Foy, que i'aymerois mieux taire,
n'estoit qu'il peut seruir pour reconnoistre plus iudicieusement
cette Nation. C'est qu'il n'est pas tel
qu'il deuroit estre, & que nous l'eussions souhaitté;
neantmoins nous en auõs encore bonne esperance. Il
fut pris l'année passée par les Hiroquois en la défaite
commune, & emmené prisonnier. Il luy en a cousté
vn doigt; ce coup de foüet deuroit estre bastant pour
le remettre en son deuoir. Son Pere ne fut pas pris:
il se sauua à la fuite, mais en fuyãt il patit à bon escient
dedans les bois, où il demeura, à ce qu'il dit,
trente iours, combattu de trois puissans ennemis; scauoir
est du froid, car c'estoit au Printemps, & il estoit
nud & sans feu: de la maladie, car il demeura comme
perclus des deux iambes & [202] n'en est pas encore
guery; & en fin de la faim. A propos de laquelle il
raconte vne chose remarquable, si elle est vraye. Il
dit qu'ayant demeuré dix ou douze iours sans manger,
& priant Dieu, duquel il auoit ouy parler à son
fils, il vit comme vn pot de grais tel qu'il en auoit
veu à Kebec, remply d'vne très suaue liqueur, &
oüyt vne voix, qui luy disoit, Saranhes, aye bon courage,
tu n'en mourras pas; prens, boy de ce qui est
dans ce pot afin de te fortifier: ce qu'il fit, & en fut
merueilleusement soulagé. Que peu apres il rencontra
en vn arbrisseau vn sachet de bled, dont il sustenta
petitement sa vie, iusques à ce que quelques Sauuages
de la Nation neutre, l'ayant fortuitement trouué,
l'enleuerent en leur village.
[201] Before drawing to a close, I shall say only
this one word about Louys de saincte Foy, which I
would prefer not to say were it not that it may help
to make this Nation more correctly known; it is
this,—he is not such as he ought to be, and as we
had wished. Nevertheless, we still have good hope.
He was taken prisoner last year by the Hiroquois, in
the common defeat, and carried away a captive. It
cost him a finger. This severe stroke ought to suffice
to bring him back to duty. His Father was not taken;
he escaped by flight, but in fleeing he suffered in
good earnest in the woods, where he remained, according
to his account, thirty days struggling against
three powerful enemies,—namely, cold, for it was
Spring, and he was naked and fireless; sickness, for
his two legs were powerless, and [202] he has not yet
recovered; and, lastly, against hunger, in reference
to which he relates a remarkable story, if it be true.
He says that, having gone for ten or twelve days
without eating, and praying to God, of whom he had
heard his son speak, he saw what seemed a pot of
grease, such as he had seen at Kebec, full of a very
savory liquor, and heard a voice that said to him,
"Saranhes, be of good cheer; thou wilt not die; take,
drink what is in the pot and strengthen thyself,"
which he did, and was marvelously solaced by it. A
little later, he found in a thicket a small bagful of
corn, with which he barely sustained life until some
Savages of the neutral Nation, having accidentally
found him, brought him to their village.
Cét homme m'a témoigné qu'il desiroit se conuertir,
luy & toute sa [203] famille, & cooperer à ce que tout
son village seruist à Dieu, comme nous. Mais c'est
152
vn esprit deslié aussi bien que son fils, ie ne me fie pas
encore en luy. Nostre esperance est en Dieu, & en
nostre Seigneur Iesus-Christ, qui a respandu son sang
pour le salut des Hurons, aussi bien pour le reste du
monde.
This man has declared to me that he and his whole
family were desirous of being converted, [203] and of
helping to bring the entire village to God's service.
But his is a crafty spirit, as well as his son's, and I do
not trust him yet. Our hope is in God, and in our
Lord Jesus Christ, who shed his blood for the salvation
of the Hurons, as well as for the rest of the
world.
C'est sur cét appuy, & non sur nos industries, que
nous esperons de veoir vn iour icy vne Chrestienté
florissante. Les esprits certes y sont dociles & flexibles,
ie ne voy que la liberté des femmes qu'ils changent
à plaisir, & quelques superstitions difficiles à abolir.
Car d'ailleurs ils n'ont point d'auersion de la
Foy, ny de la Loy Chrestienne; ils recourent volontiers
à Dieu en leurs [204] necessitez: viennent faire
benir leurs bleds auant que de les semer, & demandent
ce que c'est que nous desirons d'eux. Nous n'auons
à apprehender que nos pechez & imperfections, &
moy sur tous. Certes ie me sens extremement i[n]digne
de cét employ; mais enuoyez nous des saincts,
ou faites enuers Dieu nostre Seigneur, que nous
soyons tels qu'il desire. Mille recommandations aux
saincts sacrifices de vostre Reuerence, & de tous nos
Peres & Freres.
De V. R.
De nostre petite Maison de S. Ioseph au village
d'Ihonatiria és Hurons ce 27. May 1635.
iour auquel le S. Esprit descendit visiblement
sur les Apostres.
Tres-humble & tres-obeyssant
seruiteur en nostre Seigneur,
Iean de Brebevf.
It is through this support, and not our own efforts,
that we hope one day to see here a flourishing Christianity.
Indeed, their minds are docile and flexible;
I see only the liberty with which they change their
wives at pleasure, and some superstitions, difficult to
abolish, for in other respects they have no aversion
to the Faith nor to the Christian Law. They turn
willingly to God in their [204] necessities; they come
to get their crops blessed, before sowing them; and
ask us what we desire of them. All we have to fear
is our own sins and imperfections, and I above all.
In truth, I feel myself extremely unworthy of this
employment; but send holy ones to us, or pray to
God our Lord that we may be such as he desires. A
thousand entreaties for the holy sacrifices of your
Reverence and of all our Fathers and Brothers.
Your Reverence's
From our little House of St. Joseph, in the village
of Ihonatiria in the Huron country, this
27th of May, 1635, the day on which the Holy
Spirit descended visibly upon the Apostles.
Very humble and obedient
servant in our Lord,
Jean de Brebeuf.
154
[205] Mon R. Pere,
Depuis la presente escrite nous auõs
baptisé vn enfãt malade, arriere petit
neueu de feu Ioachim Tsindacaiendoua, & ce d'autant
plus hardiment que ceste famille semble estre toute
disposée à la Foy. Nostre Seigneur luy a rendu la
santé auec admiration de ses parens, qui remarquerent
qu'incontinent apres le baptesme, il reposa fort doucement.
Cela seruira pour renuerser vne mauuaise
opinion que le Diable va semant dans quelques esprits,
ausquels il persuade qu'on ne guerit iamais
apres le baptesme. C'est là vne des ruses du Diable
contre nous; il en a bien d'autres dont il a fait l'essay
desia en partie, mais N. Seigneur le confondra; c'est
en luy en qui nous nous confions. Paraduenture V.
R. sera-elle [206] biẽ aise de sçauoir que l'Hyuer a
esté icy fort court, & fort moderé, le Pays est tel, qu'il
porte assez pour la nourriture des habitans. Tout ce
Printemps a esté grandement beau & sec, les bleds
commencent à pâtir faute de pluye. Ie prie nostre
Seigneur, qu'il luy plaise y remedier, & nous donner
ce qui sera necessaire pour sa gloire, pour les heureux
commencemens de ceste Chrestienté, & pour la benediction
des petits trauaux que nostre Compagnie entreprend
en ces terres éloignées, sous la protection
des Fleurs de Lys, & de nostre Grand Roy, qui les
fait fleurir auiourd'huy si glorieusement.
[205] My Reverend Father,
Since the above was written, we have
baptized a sick child, grandnephew of
the late Joachim Tsindacaiendoua; and this the more
boldly, as this family seems to be disposed to the
Faith. Our Lord has restored his health, to the
wonder of his parents, who remarked that immediately
after the baptism he rested very sweetly. This
will serve to overthrow a bad opinion that the Devil
goes about sowing in some minds, whom he persuades
that they will never get better after baptism. This
is but one of the ruses of the Devil against us; he
has many others, which he has already attempted in
part; but Our Lord will confound him; it is in him
that we put our trust. Your Reverence will perhaps
[206] be glad to hear that the Winter here has been
very short and moderate. The Country is such that
it bears sufficient for the nourishment of its inhabitants.
All this Spring has been extremely clear and
dry; the crops are beginning to suffer for want of
rain. I pray our Lord that it may please him to remedy
this, and to give us what will be necessary for
his glory, for the happy beginnings of this Christianity,
and for the blessing of the insignificant labors
that our Society is undertaking in these distant lands,
under the protection of the Fleurs de Lys and of our
Great King who to-day is causing them to bloom so
gloriously.
Enuoyée par le P. Iulien Perrault, de la Compagnie de Iesus, à
son Prouincial, en France, l'an 1634. & 35.
L'ISLE du Cap Breton est esloignée de nostre
France d'enuiron neuf cens lieuës par mer.
Elle en a soixante & dix ou quatre vingts de
circuit. Les mõtagnes y sont fort hautes & en
nombre, au pied desquelles [208] se voyent de grandes
fondrieres & precipices affreux. La terre y est couuerte
de toutes sortes d'arbres, comme de chaisnes,
haistres, bouleaux, pins, sapins & autres.
Sent by Father Julïen Perrault, of the Society of Jesus, to his Provincial,
in France, in the years 1634 and 35.44
THE Island of Cape Breton45 is about nine hundred
leagues distant from our France by sea.
It is seventy or eighty leagues in circumference.
The mountains here are very high and numerous,
at the foot of which [208] are seen great
bogs and frightful precipices. The land is covered
with all sorts of trees, such as oak, beech, birch, pine,
hemlock, and others.
Le Chibou principale partie de ceste Isle, est vne
grande Baye d'enuiron deux lieuës de large en son
entré, qui va peu à peu s'estressissant le long de six
ou sept lieuës, qu'elle comprend en estenduë. Sur
le milieu, à main gauche en montant, au haut de la
coste, qui regarde le Nor-oüest, est basti le fort de
saincte Anne, à l'entrée du port, vis à vis d'vne petite
Ance. L'assiete du lieu est si auantageuse, au
rapport de ceux qui s'y cognoissent, qu'auec dix ou
douze pieces de canon, on pourroit couler à fonds tous
les vaisseaux ennemis qui s'y presenteroient.
Chibou,46 which is the principal part of this Island,
is a great Bay about two leagues wide at its entrance,
becoming narrower little by little, in the six or seven
leagues which form its extent. In the middle, on
the left hand in ascending, on the summit of the
shore that faces the Northwest, is built the fort of
sainte Anne, at the entrance of the harbor, opposite
a little Cove. The situation of the place is so advantageous,
according to the report of those who are
acquainted with it, that with ten or twelve pieces of
cannon, all the hostile ships that might present themselves
could be sent to the bottom.
Ceux qui ont vieilly sur mer, protestent qu'ils n'ont
iamais veu vn [209] Port plus recommandable pour sa
capacité, ny pour la facilité de son abord. Trois mille
nauires y peuuent estre à l'aise, & à l'abry de tout
vent, en vn beau rond tres-agreable à veoir; car sa
figure est circulaire, ou peu s'en faut. Les marées y
158
sont fort douces & reiglées; il y a tousiours de dix à
douze brassées d'eau: au reste nonobstant que toute
l'Isle soit de quarante-six degrez & demy en son eleuation;
si est-ce que le froid y est extréme, parmy
des neiges de cinq à six mois l'année. Voila pour ce
qui est de la situation du lieu: venons aux commoditez
de la vie, qu'il offre aux habitans: surquoy on
peut dire en general, que les Sauuages sont icy plus
à leur aise, qu'en beaucoup d'autres endroits. Si
l'Hyuer leur y fournit moins de Castors sur eau, il
leur donne aussi en récompense plus d'Orignacs [210]
sur terre. En esté ils y viuent assez doucement de
Marmettes, de Perroquets, de Cormorans, & autres
oyseaux de marine. Ils y ont aussi les Outardes, l'Esplan,
les Maquereaux, les Moruës, & semblables prouisions
selon la diuersité des saisons, dans les forests,
ou sur les costes de la mer.
Those who have grown old upon the sea protest
that they have never seen a [209] more desirable
Port, either in extent or for its facility of access.
Three thousand ships could easily anchor there, and
be sheltered from every wind, in a beautiful enclosure
very pleasant to look upon; for its form is circular,
or nearly so. The tides here are very mild
and regular; there is always from ten to twelve
fathoms of water. Furthermore, notwithstanding
that the Island is in forty-six and a half degrees
north latitude, the cold is extreme, the island lying
in the midst of snow five or six months of the year.
This is the situation of the place, let us come to the
conveniences of life which it offers to its inhabitants.
On this subject we may say, in general, that the Savages
are more comfortable here than in many other
places. If the Winter supplies them with fewer
Beavers upon the water, it gives them, by way of
compensation, more Moose [210] upon the land. In
summer, they live very well on Marmots and Parrot
fish,47
with Cormorants and other marine birds. They
have also Bustards, Smelts, Mackerel, Codfish, and
like supplies, according to the different seasons, in
the forests or upon the coasts of the sea.
Quant à eux, pour ce qui est du corps, ils n'ont rien
de monstrueux; vous y voyez des gẽs bien-faits, d'vn
beau visage, & d'vne riche taille, forts & puissans.
Leur charnure est blanche naturellement, comme en
font foy les petits enfans; mais le hasle du Soleil, &
les frictions d'huile de Loup marin, & de graisse d'Orignac,
les rend fort bazanez, à mesure qu'ils croissent.
Ils vont la plus-part la teste nuë, & portent de longs
cheueux noirs, auec fort peu ou point de barbe, tellement
que les femmes n'y sont recogneües, [211] qu'en
ce qu'elles se seruent d'vne ceinture, & qu'elles sont
moins découuertes que les hommes; tout au rebours
de ce qui se prattique en plusieurs lieux de la Chrestienté,
à la honte du Christianisme. On void icy des
vieillards de quatre-vingts & cent ans, qui n'ont presque
pas vn poil gris. Pour le regard de l'esprit, s'il
160
en faut iuger de leurs deportemens, & de leurs façons
de traitter auec nos François, ils ne l'ont pas mauuais.
Vous ne voyez paroistre en leurs gestes & démarches
aucune sottise ou niaiserie, mais plutost vne
certaine grauité & modestie naturelle, qui les rend
aimables. Ils sont bien si industrieux, que de déguiser
leur langage, adioustans à chaque mot vne syllabe,
qui ne sert qu'à troubler l'imagination de ceux,
dont ils ne veulent point estre entendus.
As to the people, there is nothing anomalous in
their physical appearance; you see well-formed men,
good-looking, of fine figures, strong and powerful.
Their skin is naturally white, for the little children
show it thus; but the heat of the Sun, and the rubbing
with Seal oil and Moose fat, make them very
swarthy, the more so as they grow older. Most of
them go bareheaded, and they have long, black hair,
with very little or no beard, so that the women cannot
be distinguished, [211] except that they use a
girdle and are less naked than the men; quite the
reverse of what is practiced in many Christian lands,
to the shame of Christianity. One sees here old men,
of eighty and a hundred years, who have hardly
a gray hair. As to their intelligence, if we may
judge from their conduct and from their way of dealing
with the French, they are not at a great disadvantage.
You do not see in their gestures and bearing
any foolishness or nonsense, but rather a certain
gravity and natural modesty, which makes them
agreeable. They are indeed so clever that, in order
to disguise their language, they add to every word a
syllable, which only serves to confuse the minds of
those by whom they do not wish to be understood.
[212] Ce qui leur manque, est la cognoissance de
Dieu, & du seruice qu'ils sont obligez de luy rendre,
comme aussi de l'estat des ames apres la mort: c'est
merueille, que nous n'en auons sceu encore découurir
aucun vestige, en ce que nous sçauons de leur langue.
Peut-estre qu'en descouurirons nous quelque chose de
plus, quand nous y serons plus sçauans: car il n'est
pas croyable que la lumiere naturelle soit tout à fait
esteinte en eux pour ce regard, ne l'estant point en
d'autres Natiõs plus barbares; ou qu'ils ne parlent iamais
entre-eux de ce qu'ils ne peuuent tout à fait
ignorer. Tant y a que iusqu'à maintenant, nous n'auons
non plus remarqué de Religion parmy ces pauures
Sauuages, que parmy les bestes. C'est ce qui
nous fend le cœur de compassion, pour des ames rachetées
au mesme [213] prix que nous, & dont elles
feroient leur profit volontiers mieux que nous, si elles
sçauoient ce qu'elles vallent, & ce qu'elles ont cousté
à celuy qui nous a tant aimez tous ensemble.
[212] What they do lack is the knowledge of God
and of the service that they ought to render to him,
as also of the state of the soul after death; it is wonderful
that we have not yet been able to discover any
trace of this knowledge in what we know of their
language. Perhaps we shall discover something
more, when we become better versed in it; for it is
not credible that the light of nature should be altogether
extinct in them in this regard, when it is not
in other more barbarous Nations, or that they never
talk among themselves of that of which they cannot
be entirely ignorant. For all that, we have not up
to the present noticed any more Religion among these
poor Savages than among brutes. This is what
wrings our hearts with compassion for souls redeemed
at the same [213] price as ours, by which they would
willingly profit better than we, if they could know
what they themselves are worth, and what they cost
him who has loved us all so much.
Or ce qui nous console parmy cette ignorance &
barbarie, & ce qui nous fait esperer d'y veoir vn iour
la Foy plantée bien auant; c'est en partie la docilité
qu'ils nous sont paroistre à vouloir estre instruits, &
en partie la fidelité & l'honnesteté que nous y remarquons.
Now what consoles us in the midst of this ignorance
and barbarism, and what makes us hope some
day to see the Faith widely planted, is partly the
docility they have shown in wishing to be instructed,
and partly the honesty and decency we observe in
them.
162
Ils se rendent fort assidus & attentifs aux instructions
que nous leur donnons: ie ne sçay, si c'est par
complaisance, car ils en ont beaucoup naturellement,
ou par instinct d'enhaut, qu'ils nous escoutent si volontiers
sur les mysteres de nostre Foy, & redisent
apres nous, soit qu'ils l'entendent ou non, tout ce
[214] que nous leur en declarons. Ils font tres-volontiers
le signe de la Croix, comme ils nous voyent
faire, leuans les mains & les yeux au Ciel, prononçans,
Iesus Maria, comme nous: iusque-là qu'ayans
remarqué l'honneur que nous rendons à la Croix, les
pauures gens se la peignent au visage, à l'estomach,
aux bras, & aux iambes, sans en estre priez. Ie veux
bien qu'ils fassent tout cela en ces commencemens
par vne simplicité naturelle, qui les porte à imiter
tout ce qu'ils voyent, plus que pour aucune meilleure
consideration; si est-ce qu'auec le temps, ils en peuuẽt
estre aidez; & ils ne seront pas les premiers, quãd ils
viendront à pratiquer par election, ce qui leur a esté
en vsage, comme par rencontre & par hazard. Au
surplus, ce qui n'est pas peu, ils nous pressent parfois
de prier nostre bon Iesus pour eux, [215] pour les
succez de leurs chasses, & pour la deliurance de leurs
maladies.
They are very diligent and attentive to the instructions
we give them; I do not know whether it
is through complaisance, for they have a great deal
of this naturally, or through an instinct from above,
that they listen to us so willingly concerning the
mysteries of our Faith, and repeat after us, whether
they understand it or not, all that [214] we declare
to them. They very willingly make the sign of the
Cross, as they see us make it, raising their hands and
eyes to Heaven and pronouncing the words, "Jesus,
Mary," as we do,—so far that, having observed the
honor we render to the Cross, these poor people paint
it on their faces, chests, arms, and legs, without being
asked to do so. I am very willing that they
should do all these things in the beginning from a
natural simplicity, which causes them to imitate all
they see, rather than from any greater consideration;
because in time they may be helped by it, and they
will not be the first, who come to practice by choice
that to which by casual encounter they have become
accustomed. Besides, what is of no small importance,
they sometimes urge us to pray our good Jesus
for them, [215] for the success of their hunting and
for relief from their diseases.
L'autre aduantage que nous remarquons icy, pour
la predication de l'Euangile, est en la fidelité, & en
l'honnesteté que nous y voyons reluire, comme deux
clairs rayons de lumiere, au milieu des tenebres. On
n'a que faire de se défier de nos Sauuages, ou de
prendre garde à leurs mains & à leurs pieds, comme
en quelques autres, qui attirent tout à eux, & s'accommodent
de tout ce qu'ils treuuent à leur bienfeance.
Tout leur est ouuert en tout lieu, & si rien
164
n'est en danger deuant eux, quand ils feroient seuls
en vne cabane, & sans pouuoir estre apperceus de personne.
Pour l'honnesteté, ils l'ont en telle recõmandation,
au moins quãt à ce qui se void à l'exterieur,
en leurs actions & paroles, qu'il y a de l'apparence
[216] qu'ils se leueront au dernier iour, & condamneront
plusieurs Chrestiens, qui l'auront moins cultiuée
en la Loy de grace, que ne font ces pauures gens, en
celle de nature.
The other encouragement we see here, for the
preaching of the Gospel, is in the honesty and decency
that we see shining forth in them like two
bright rays of light in the midst of darkness. We
never think of distrusting our Savages, or of watching
their hands and their feet, as with some others
who attract everything to them and appropriate all
they find at their convenience. Everything is free to
them in all places, and yet nothing is in danger in
their presence, even if they are alone in a cabin and
where no one can see them. As to decency, they
hold it in such high estimation, at least as far as external
appearances are concerned, in their actions and
words, that there is a probability [216] that they will
rise up on the last day and condemn many Christians,
who will have cultivated this virtue less under the
Law of grace, than these poor people have under that
of nature.
Nous ne leur auons iamais oüy dire parole messeante,
ny veu faire aucune action trop libre, quoy que
nous ayons vescu assez familierement auec eux, dedans
& hors de leurs cabanes.
We have never heard them use unseemly words,
nor seen any actions too free, although we have lived
on familiar terms with them inside and outside their
cabins.
Vous diriez qu'ils veulent pratiquer par aduance
ce beau mot de l'Apostre, qui commande aux Chrestiens,
de n'auoir pas mesme, si faire se peut, en leur
bouche, vne parole qui signifie le vice contraire.
Quelqu'vn repliquera volontiers, que si nous eussions
esté plus versez en leur langue, nous n'eussions pas
manqué d'y en remarquer. Mais n'est-ce pas beaucoup,
que si peu [217] que nous en sçauons ne nous
ait encore appris rien de semblable? Et n'y a-t'il pas
grande occasion de rougir pour beaucoup de Nations
Chrestiennes, parmy lesquelles il ne faut pas auoir
fait grand apprentissage en leur Grammaire, pour se
trouuer honteux & confus és compagnies, à qui a tant
soit peu l'honneur en affection. Que si nous n'auons
pas encore les oreilles assez ouuertes, pour rendre
tesmoignage asseuré de l'indifference, ou de l'hõnesteté
de leurs discours; sõmes nous aueugles, ou
ne pouuons nous pas recognoistre ce que c'est qu'vn
geste ou vn deportement honteux? & neantmoins nous
166
n'y auons rien veu de semblable, non pas mesme parmy
les gens mariez. Que diray-je, sur ce que m'estant
vn iour apperceu, qu'vn ieune Sauuage auoit
baisé sa femme, que ie ne croyois [218] pas estre la
sienne; comme cela me sembloit extraordinaire parmy
eux, ie luy demanday sur le champ, si c'estoit sa
femme; & il me respondit, qu'oüy; mais ce ne fut
pas sans confusion de l'vn & de l'autre, qui se trouuerent
surpris. Ioignez cela auec cette grauité, que
i'ay desia dit leur estre naturelle, & vous iugerez que
Dieu aidant, ils receuront à bras ouuerts vne Loy qui
ne recommande rien tãt que cette vertu, qui rẽd les
hommes semblables aux Anges; & qu'ils n'auront
pas si grande difficulté, qu'ont plusieurs Chrestiens
mal appris, de se conformer à tout ce qui est des paroles
de l'Euangile, quand on le leur annoncera aux
termes de l'Apostre; qu'ils ayẽt à faire paroistre leur
modestie aux yeux de tout le mõde, veu que le Seigneur
est proche. Il est vray, qu'ils ont la polygamie,
& ne gardent point l'indissolubilité [219] du Mariage.
Mais il faut esperer, que quand ils viendront
a recognoistre les obligations qu'ils ont, auec toutes
les Nations de la terre, à vn Dieu qui s'est fait homme
pour eux, ils se soumettront volontiers à ses Loix
toutes sainctes, nommémẽt en ce qui concerne une
vertu, au moyen de laquelle il veut que nous le portions
& glorifions sans cesse en nos corps, luy qui a
liuré le sien pour nous aux tourmens, & qui nous le
donne tous les iours en viandes, pour cét effect singulier.
You would say they are trying to practice in advance
that beautiful motto of the Apostle, which commands
Christians not even to have, if they can help
it, upon their lips a word which signifies indecency.
Some one will readily reply that, if we were better
versed in their language, we would not fail to notice
it therein. But is it not a great deal, that the little
[217] we know of it has not taught us anything of
the kind? And is there not great reason to blush for
many Christian Nations, among whom one does not
have to serve a long apprenticeship to their Grammar,
to find oneself embarrassed and confused in company,
if he has even a little regard for propriety? And if
our ears are not yet sufficiently opened to give positive
evidence of the unconcern or decency of their
talk; are we blind, or are we incapable of recognizing
a shameful gesture or action? And yet we have
never seen anything of this kind, not even among
married people. But what shall I say about noticing
one day a young Savage kissing a woman, who I did
not think [218] was his wife; as that seemed something
extraordinary among them, I straightway asked
him if that was his wife, and he replied that she was;
but it was not without embarrassment on the part of
the two who had been taken by surprise. Add to this
modesty the gravity which I have said is natural to
them, and you will judge that, God helping, they
will receive with open arms a Law which recommends
nothing so much as this virtue, which makes men
like unto Angels; and that they will not have as
much difficulty as many badly taught Christians have,
to conform entirely to the injunctions of the Gospel,
when it shall be declared to them in the words of the
Apostle that they have to show their modesty in the
eyes of all the world, since the Lord is near. It is
true they have polygamy, and pay no attention to the
indissolubility [219] of Marriage. But we must hope
that, when they come to recognize the obligations
they are under, together with all the Nations of the
earth, to a God who made himself man for them, they
will willingly submit to his most holy Laws, especially
in that which concerns a virtue by means of
which he wishes us to bear witness to and glorify
without ceasing, in our bodies, him who for us has
delivered his own up to torture, and who gives it to
us every day as food, for this sole purpose.
Tirez de leurs dernieres lettres de 1635.
1 LA Nouuelle France est vn vray climat où on
apprend parfaictement bien à ne chercher
que Dieu, ne desirer que Dieu seul, auoir l'intention
purement à Dieu, & à ne s'attendre & ne s'appuyer
qu'en sa diuine & paternelle Prouidence; &
cela c'est vn riche thresor du cœur, qui ne se peut
estimer.
Taken from their last letters of 1635.
1 NEW France is truly a region where one
learns perfectly to seek God alone, to desire
God alone, to have sincere intentions toward
God, and to trust to and rely solely upon his divine
and paternal Providence; and it is a rich heart treasury,
impossible to estimate.
2 Viure en la Nouuelle France, c'est à vray dire viure
dans le sein de [221] Dieu, & ne respirer que l'air
de sa Diuine conduite; on ne sçauroit croire la douceur
de cét air là, si ce n'est quand actuellement on
le respire.
2 To live in New France means truly to live in the
bosom of [221] God, and to breathe only the air of his
Divine guidance; the sweetness of that air can be realized
only by actually breathing it.
3 Il n'est pas à propos que tout le monde sçache,
combien il fait bon dans les sacrées horreurs de ces
forests, & combien on trouue de lumieres du Ciel
dans les tenebres espaisses de cette barbarie: nous
aurions trop de monde qui y voudroit venir, & nos
Habitatiõs ne seroient pas capables de loger tant de
gens: & c'est ce qui nous confond qui Dieu nous ait
choisis, pour nous faire participans de cette misericorde,
voyãt qu'il y a tant de nos Peres en France,
qui seroient mieux que nous.
3 It is not fitting that every one should know how
agreeable it is in the sacred awe of these forests, and
how much Heavenly light one finds in the thick darkness
of this barbarism; we would have too many persons
wishing to come here, and our Settlements would
not be capable of accommodating so many; and what
confounds us is that God has chosen us, to make us
participants in this mercy, seeing that there are so
many of our Fathers in France, who would do better
than we.
4 La ioye qu'on a quand on a baptisé vn Sauuage,
qui se meurt peu apres, & qui s'enuole droit au Ciel,
pour deuenir vn Ange, certainemẽt [222] c'est vne
170
ioye qui surpasse tout ce qu'on se peut imaginer: on
ne se souuiẽt plus ny de la mer, ny du mal de la mer,
ny de l'horreur des tempestes passées; on voudroit
auec la souffrance de dix mille tempestes pouuoir
aider à sauuer vne ame, puisque Iesus-Christ pour
vne seule ame auroit volontiers respandu tout son
pretieux sang.
4 The joy that one feels when he has baptized a Savage
who dies soon afterwards, and flies directly to
Heaven to become an Angel, certainly [222] is a joy
that surpasses anything that can be imagined; one
no longer remembers the sea, nor seasickness, nor
the horror of past tempests; but one would like to
have the suffering of ten thousand tempests that he
might help save one soul, since Jesus Christ for one
soul would have willingly shed all his precious blood.
5 Le plus grand combat que nous ayons eu parmy
nous, c'est qui seroit celuy qui auroit la bonne aduenture
d'estre choisi pour aller aux Hurons. Dieu
a fait tomber le sort sur ceux qu'il luy a plû choisir,
& qui sont allez à ces Nations barbares, comme si
c'eust esté le Paradis Terrestre. Vne fois qu'on a
gousté à bon escient la douceur de la Croix de Iesus-Christ,
on la prefere à tous les Empires de la terre.
5 The greatest strife we have had among ourselves
was to see which would have the good fortune of being
chosen to go to the Hurons. God has made the
lot fall upon those he was pleased to choose, and who
are going to these barbarous Nations as if to a Terrestrial
Paradise. When once a person has tasted in
earnest the sweetness of the Cross of Jesus Christ, he
prefers it to all the Empires of the earth.
6 Nous trouuans nagueres dans [223] vne tempeste
si furieuse, que tout l'Ocean sembloit se bouleuerser,
on nous dit que nous estions cause de cét horrible
orage; cela nous estonna d'abord, estant dit par
des gens de bien; & en demandant la raison, il nous
fut dit, que voyant vne si furieuse & enragée tourmẽte,
il falloit croire que l'Enfer enrageãt de nous
veoir aller en la Nouuelle France, pour conuertir les
infidelles, & diminuer sa puissance, par dépit il sousleuoit
tous les Elemens contre nous, & vouloit abysmer
la flotte, & tout ce qui estoit dedans. Mais nous
leur dismes tout doucement; Souuenez vous, Messieurs,
que Dieu est plus puissant pour nous defendre,
que Lucifer pour nous persecuter: Que la mer s'esleue
tant qu'elle voudra, si faut-il que Dieu soit le
Maistre. Mirabiles elationes maris, mirabilis in altis Dominus.
Nous craignons bien [224] plus la cholere de
Dieu contre nos infidelitez, que celle de la mer contre
nos infirmitez humaines.
6 Finding ourselves lately in [223] a tempest so
furious that the whole Ocean seemed to be in a turmoil,
they told us that we were the cause of this horrible
storm; this astonished us at first, as it was said
by honest people; on asking the reason, we were told
that, seeing so furious and raging a tempest, it must
be that Hell was enraged at seeing us go to New
France to convert infidels and to diminish its power;
for revenge it raised up all the Elements against us,
and was trying to sink the fleet and all that was
within it. But we said to them very gently: "Remember,
Sirs, that God is more powerful to defend
us, than Lucifer is to persecute us; that the sea may
rise as high as it will, yet God must be its Master.
Mirabiles elationes maris, mirabilis in altis Dominus.
We fear indeed [224] the anger of God against our
unfaithfulness, more than that of the sea against our
human weakness".
172
7 En Europe on a coustume de dire, que quiconque
veut apprendre à prier Dieu, il faut aller sur
la mer: mais c'est toute autre chose d'y estre effectiuement.
Dernierement nous fusmes plus de deux
iours & deux nuicts en continuel danger d'estre absorbez
de l'Ocean; chaque moment sembloit deuoir
estre le dernier moment de nos vies. Vous voyez
venir des montagnes, qui sembloient nous deuoir engloutir:
Nous estions nous deux prosternez à genoux,
priant Dieu de bon cœur; la plus grande peur estoit
que quelqu'vn ne mourust sans Confession: c'est là où
on fait bien les Oraisons iaculatoires, & où on regarde
le Ciel de bon œil: mais on ne croiroit iamais
l'efficace de la grace, & les [225] puissantes asseurances
que Dieu donne à ses seruiteurs, au milieu des
tempestes, & des desespoirs les plus espouuantables.
7 In Europe they are accustomed to say that whoever
would learn to pray to God must go upon the
sea; but it is quite a different thing to be there in
reality. Lately we were more than two days and two
nights in continual danger of being engulfed by the
Ocean; every moment, it seemed, must be the last of
our lives. We saw mountains coming toward us,
which seemed about to swallow us up; we two were
prostrate upon our knees, praying God with earnest
hearts; the greatest fear was that some one would die
without Confession; it is there that jaculatory Prayers
are made, and that one looks gladly toward Heaven;
but one can never believe the power of grace and
the [225] invincible confidence that God gives to his
servants in the midst of tempests and the most fearful
despair.
8 Iamais ie n'auois entendu que c'est d'arriuer à
vn poinct de vertu, que pour passer plus auant il faudroit
faire miracle: tant il est vray qu'on se trouue
quelquefois si auant ou dans la souffrance, ou dans
les hazards, ou dans l'abandonnement des creatures,
qu'on ne trouue plus rien que Dieu, Mais on le trouue
tousiours au bout de l'eschelle de Iacob, à bras &
cœur ouuerts, pour embrasser les Anges, & les ames
qui volent droit à luy: & c'est chose admirable comme
Dieu prend plaisir à se communiquer abondamment
aux ames qui ont tout abandonné, & se sont toutes
abandonnées à luy. Perdre tout pour trouuer Dieu,
c'est vne douce perte, & vne saincte vsure.
8 I have never understood what it was to reach such
a point of virtue that, to pass beyond, a miracle would
have to be performed; so true is it that a person
sometimes finds himself so far plunged into either
suffering, or danger, or desertion by his fellow-creatures,
that nothing is left to him but God, who nevertheless
is always found at the end of Jacob's ladder,
with arms and heart open to embrace the Angels and
the souls which fly straight to him; and it is wonderful
how God takes pleasure in abundantly communicating
himself to souls which have abandoned all and
given themselves wholly to him. To lose all, that
one may find God, is a sweet loss and a holy usury.
[226] 9 Le cœur croist à mesure que les trauaux
croissent pour Iesus-Christ; & la Nouuelle France est
le pays du monde le plus propre, pour entendre le
sens literal de ces belles paroles, Sicut misit me viuens
174
Pater, ita & ego mitto vos. Ie vous enuoye de mesme
sorte, que mon Pere m'a enuoyé. Ecce ego mitto vos
sicut oues in medio luporum. Voicy que ie vous enuoye
cõme des brebis au milieu des loups. Parmy ces forests,
en voyant ces Sauuages, nous pauures Estrangers,
& seruiteurs de Dieu, que pouuons nous attendre
sinon vn coup de dent, & quelque effect de
leur barbarie naturelle. Qui craind bien Dieu, ne
sçauroit plus rien craindre en ce monde.
[226] 9 The heart grows according as its works for
Jesus Christ increase; and New France is the most
suitable country in the world in which to understand
the literal meaning of these beautiful words, Sicut
misit me vivens Pater, ita et ego mitto vos, "I send you,
even as my Father has sent me." Ecce ego mitto vos
sicut oves in medio luporum. "Behold, I send you as
sheep in the midst of wolves." Among these forests,
at the sight of these Savages, what can we poor Foreigners
and servants of God expect but to feel their
teeth and some of the effects of their natural barbarism.
He who truly fears God can fear nothing more
in this world.
10 Il est vray que faire neuf cens lieuës sur les
flots de la mer, & auec cent & cent rencontres de
Turcs, de glaces, de bancs, d'orages assez horribles,
[227] cela peut estonner la nature; & donner de la
palpitation au cœur humain; là on experimente ce
que veut dire Dauid, Anima mea in manibus meis semper.
Ie tiens mon ame tousiours dans mes mains, &
ie suis tout prest à tout moment de la sacrifier à Dieu;
trop heureux helas! de pouuoir faire tant de fois vn
pretieux holocauste de moy-mesme; mais les infusions
de Dieu dans les cœurs, & le renfort qu'il verse
dans nos ames surpasse tous nos maux. Ie confesse
que i'ay mieux appris sur la mer que sur la terre, que
c'est qu'infusion de Dieu dans vne ame bien faite.
10 Truly, to make nine hundred leagues upon the
waves of the sea, with hundreds of encounters with
Turks, icebergs, reefs, and horrible storms—[227] all
these things can appall human nature, and cause the
human heart to throb; there one experiences what
David meant, Anima mea in manibus meis semper.
"I hold my soul always in my hands," and I am always
ready at any moment to sacrifice it to God; too
happy, alas! to be able to make so many times a precious
offering of myself; but the infusion of God into
our hearts, and the relief he pours into our souls, exceed
all of our ills. I confess that I have learned
better upon the sea than upon the land what the infusion
of God into a well-trained soul is.
11 Quand on void ces Sauuages, bien faits, forts,
de bonne façon, doüez d'vn bon sens naturel, & qu'il
ne tient qu'à vne goutte d'eau qu'ils ne deuiennent
enfans de Dieu, & que Iesus-Christ a respandu tout
[228] son sang pour eux, on sent vne ardeur incroyable
de les attirer à l'Eglise, & à Dieu; & il est vray
qu'on aimeroit mieux la conuersion d'vn de ces pauures
Sauuages, que la conqueste d'vn Empire tout
entier. La peine qu'on y prend est si agreable, qu'on
176
ne la prend point pour vne peine, mais pour vne faueur
du Ciel bien extraordinaire. Caritas Lei vrget
nos, tant il est vray que la charité presse les cœurs.
11 When we see these Savages, well formed, strong,
of good mien, endowed with natural good sense,—and
that it needs only a drop of water to make them
children of God, and that Jesus Christ has shed all
[228] his blood for them, we feel an incredible ardor
to attract them to the Church and to God; and it is
true that we would prefer the conversion of one of
these poor Savages to the conquest of a whole Empire.
The trouble we take in this is so pleasant that
we do not consider it trouble, but a truly extraordinary
favor of Heaven. Caritas Dei urget nos, so true
is it that charity presses our hearts.
12 Ie fus vingt-quatre heures, que nous voyant
poursuiuis par les Turcs au sortir de la manche, ie
n'attendois plus rien que de tomber entre leurs mains,
& estre couuert de chaisnes, & viure en esclauage.
Parmy ces frayeurs naturelles, voyla vne forte pensée
qui se va saisir de mon cœur, & me dit: Ha! quel
bon-heur seroit-ce de pouuoir imiter sainct Paul, &
me veoir enchaisner [229] pour l'amour de Iesus, qui
fut lié pour moy, & traitté comme vu esclaue, &
comme le Roy des voleurs. Ceste douce pensée eut
tant de pouuoir sur mon ame, que i'auois plus d'enuie
de ces chaisnes, que de crainte de la captiuité.
12 I passed twenty-four hours when, seeing that we
were pursued by the Turks in leaving la manche [English
Channel], I expected nothing else than to fall
into their hands, to be loaded with chains and to live
in slavery. In the midst of these natural fears, lo! a
strong thought took possession of my heart, and said
to me "Ha! what good fortune it would be to be able
to imitate saint Paul, and to see myself in fetters
[229] for the love of Jesus, who was bound for me,
and treated as a slave and as the King of thieves."
This sweet thought had so much power over my soul
that I had more desire for those chains than fear of
captivity.
13 Trois puissantes pensées consolent vn bon cœur,
qui est dans les forests infinies de la Nouuelle France,
ou parmy les Hurons. La premiere est, ie suis au
lieu où Dieu m'a enuoyé, où il m'a mené comme par
la main, où il est auec moy, & où ie ne cherche que
luy seul. La deuxiéme est, ce que dit Dauid; selon
la mesure des douleurs que ie souffre pour Dieu, ses
Diuines consolations réjoüyssent mõ ame. La troisiéme,
que iamais on ne trouue ny Croix, ny cloux,
ny espines, que si on regarde bien, on ne trouue I. C.
au milieu. Or peut-on estre mal quand on est en
[230] compagnie du Fils de Dieu viuant.
13 Three mighty thoughts console a good heart
which is in the infinite forests of New France, or
among the Hurons. The first is, "I am in the place
where God has sent me, where he has led me as if by
the hand, where he is with me, and where I seek him
alone." The second is, in the words of David, "according
to the measure of the pain I endure for God,
his Divine consolations rejoice my soul." The third,
that we never find Crosses, nails, nor thorns, in the
midst of which, if we look closely, we do not find J.C.
[Jesus Christ]. Now, can a person go wrong when he
is in [230] the company of the Son of the living God?
14 Quand ie me veois assiegé de flots homicides,
de forests infinies, & de mille dangers, il me vient à
l'esprit ceste riche parole de S. Ignace martyr: Nunc
incipio esse Christi discipulus: c'est auiourd'huy que ie
commẽce d'estre de la Cõpagnie de Iesus; car à quoy
seruent tant d'exercices, tant de Meditations feruentes,
tant de desirs boüillans? tout cela n'est que du vẽt, si
178
on ne les met en pratique; tellement que la vieille
France est bonne pour conceuoir de bons desirs, mais
la Nouuelle est propre pour l'execution: ce qu'on desire
en l'ancienne France, c'est ce qu'on fait dans la
Nouuelle.
14 When I see myself surrounded by murderous
waves, by infinite forests, and by a thousand dangers
there comes to mind that precious saying of the martyred
St. Ignace, Nunc incipio esse Christi discipulus:
to-day I begin to be of the Company of Jesus. For
what avail so many exercises, so many fervent Meditations,
so many eager desires? all these are nothing
but wind, if we do not put them into practice. So
old France is fitted to conceive noble desires, but the
New is adapted to their execution; that one desires
in old France is what one does in the New.
15 Ie ne sçay que c'est que le pays des Hurons,
où Dieu m'enuoye par vne misericorde infinie: mais
ie sçay bien que i'ayme mieux y aller qu'au Paradis
Terrestre, puisque ie vois [231] que Dieu en a ordonné
de la sorte. Chose estrange! que plus i'y vois de
Croix preparées, & plus le cœur me rit, & y volle;
car quel bõ-heur de ne voir rien de ses yeux que des
Sauuages, des Croix, & Iesus-Christ: en ma vie ie
n'ay bien compris en France, que c'estoit de se défier
totalement de soy-mesme, & se confier en Dieu seul:
mais ie dis seul, & sans meslange d'aucune creature.
Maior est Deus corde nostro. Dieu est plus grand que
nos cœurs: cela est euidẽt en la Nouuelle France, &
c'est vne consolation du tout ineffable, que quand on
ne trouue plus rien, aussi tost on rencontre Dieu, qui
se communique plus abondamment aux bons cœurs.
15 I do not know what the country of the Hurons is,
where God sends me in his infinite mercy, but I do
know that I would rather go there than to an Earthly
Paradise, since I see [231] that God has so ordained.
Strange thing! the more Crosses I see prepared for
me there, the more my heart laughs and flies thither;
for what happiness to see with these eyes nothing but
Savages, Crosses, and Jesus Christ. Never have I understood
in my life in France what it was to distrust
self entirely and to trust in God alone; I say alone,
and without the presence of any creature: Major est
Deus corde nostro, "God is greater than our hearts;"
this is evident in New France, and it is an unutterable
consolation that when we find nothing else we
immediately encounter God, who communicates himself
most richly to good hearts.
16 Ma consolation parmy les Hurons, c'est que
tous les iours ie me confesse, & puis ie dis la Messe,
comme si ie deuois prendre le Viatique, & mourir ce
iour là, & ie ne crois pas [232] qu'on puisse mieux
viure, ny auec plus de satisfaction & de courage, &
mesme de merites, que viure en vn lieu, où on pẽse
pouuoir mourir tous les iours, & auoir la deuise de S.
Paul. Quotidie morior fratres, &c. mes freres ie fais
estat de mourir tous les iours.
16 My consolation among the Hurons is that I confess
every day, and then I say Mass as if I were to
take the Viaticum and die that very day; and I do
not think [232] that a person can live better, nor with
more satisfaction and courage, and even merit, than
to live in a place where he expects every day to die,
and to have the motto of St. Paul, Quotidie morior fratres,
etc., "I protest, brethren, that I die daily."
17 Pour conuertir les Sauuages, il n'y faut pas
tant de science que de bonté & vertu bien solide.
Les quatre Elemens d'vn homme Apostolique en la
180
Nouuelle Frãce, sont l'Affabilité, l'Humilité, la Patiẽce
& vne Charité genereuse. Le zele trop ardent,
brusle plus qu'il n'eschauffe, & gaste tout; il
faut vne grande magnanimité & condescendence pour
attirer peu à peu ces Sauuages. Ils n'entendent pas
bien nostre Theologie, mais ils entendent parfaictement
bien nostre humilité, & nostre affabilité & se
laissent gaigner.
17 To convert the Savages, not so much knowledge
is necessary as goodness and sound virtue. The four
Elements of an Apostolic man in New France are
Affability, Humility, Patience, and a generous Charity.
Too ardent zeal scorches more than it warms,
and ruins everything; great magnanimity and compliance
are necessary to attract gradually these Savages.
They do not comprehend our Theology well,
but they comprehend perfectly our humility and our
friendliness, and allow themselves to be won.
18 La Nation des Hurons se dispose [233] à receuoir
la lumiere de l'Euangile, & on espere vn bien
incroyable en tous ces quartiers là: mais il y faut
deux sortes de personnes pour bien faire cela: les
vns en l'anciẽne France assistãt de leurs sainctes prieres,
& de leur charité; les autres en la Nouuelle,
trauaillant auec grande douceur, & infatigabilité de
la bonté de Dieu, & de ce doux cõcert dépend la conuersion
de plusieurs milliers d'ames, pour chacune
desquelles Iesus-Christ a versé tout son pretieux sãg.
18 The Huron Nation is becoming disposed [233] to
receive the light of the Gospel, and inestimable good
is to be hoped for in all those regions; but two kinds
of persons are necessary to accomplish this,—those
in old France, assisting by their holy prayers and
their charity; the others in the New, working with
great gentleness and tirelessness; on the goodness of
God and on this sweet harmony depends the conversion
of many thousand souls, for each one of whom
Jesus Christ has shed all his precious blood.
19 Si on pouuoit fonder à Kebec vn petit Seminaire
d'vne douzaine de petits Hurons, dans peu
d'années on en tireroit vn secours incroyable, pour
aider à conuertir leurs Peres, & planter vne Eglise
fleurissante dans la Nation des Hurons. Helas! combien
y en a t'il en Europe qui perdẽt à trois coups de
dez, plus qu'il ne faudroit pour conuertir vn monde.
19 If a small Seminary of a dozen little Hurons
could be founded at Kebec, in a few years incredible
assistance could be derived therefrom, to help in converting
their Fathers, and in planting a flourishing
Church in the Nation of the Hurons. Alas! how
many there are in Europe who lose in three casts of
the dice more than would be needed to convert a
world.
[234] 20 Vne des pensées qui pressent dauantage
ceux qui sont si heureux, que de seruir Dieu parmy
ces forests, c'est d'estre indignes d'vne vocation Apostolique,
& si releuée, & auoir si peu de vertus dignes
d'vn bel employ. Qui ne void la Nouuelle Frãce que
par les yeux de chair & de nature, il n'y void que
des bois & des croix: mais qui les considere auec les
yeux de la grace, & d'vne bonne vocation, il n'y void
182
que Dieu, les vertus, & les graces, & on y trouue tant
& de si solides consolations, que si ie pouuois acheter
la Nouuelle France, en donnant tout le Paradis Terrestre,
certainement ie l'acheterois. Mon Dieu qu'il
fait bon estre au lieu où Dieu nous a mis de sa grace,
veritablement i'ay trouué icy ce que i'auois esperé,
vn cœur selon le cœur de Dieu, qui ne cherche que
Dieu.
[234] 20 One of the thoughts which weigh most
upon those who are so fortunate as to serve God among
these forests, is their unworthiness of their Apostolic
and so exalted calling, and that they have so few of
the virtues worthy of a noble work. He who sees
New France only through the eyes of the flesh and
of nature, sees only forests and crosses; but he who
looks upon these with the eyes of grace and of a noble
vocation, sees only God, the virtues, and the graces;
and he finds therein so many and so firm consolations,
that, if I were able to buy New France by giving in
exchange all the Terrestrial Paradise, I would certainly
buy it. My God! how good it is to be in the
place where God has placed us by his grace; truly I
have found here what I had hoped for, a heart in harmony
with God's heart, which seeks God alone.
[235] 21 On dit que les premiers qui fondent les
Eglises, d'ordinaire sont saincts: ceste pensée m'attendrit
si fort le cœur, que quoy que ie me voye icy
fort inutile dans ceste fortunée Nouuelle France, si
faut-il, que i'auoüe que ie ne, me sçaurois defendre
d'vne pensée qui me presse le cœur. Cupio impendi,
& superimpendi pro vobis: Pauure Nouuelle France, ie
desire me sacrifier pour ton bien, & quand il me deuroit
couster mille vies, moyennant que ie puisse
aider à sauuer vne seule ame, ie seray trop heureux,
& ma vie tres bien employée.
[235] 21 It is said that the pioneers who found
Churches are usually saints; this thought so softens
my heart that, although I see I am of but little use
here in this fortunate New France, yet I must confess
that I cannot forbid one thought which presses
upon my heart. Cupio impendi, et superimpendi pro
vobis: Poor New France, I desire to sacrifice myself
for thy welfare; and though it should cost me a thousand
lives, if thus I can aid in saving a single soul, I
shall be too happy, and my life will be well spent.
22 Ie ne sçay pas que c'est d'entrer en Paradis,
mais ie sçay bien qu'en ce monde, il est mal-aisé de
trouuer vne ioye plus excessiue & surabondante, que
celle que i'ay sentie entrant en la Nouuelle France,
& y disant la premiere Messe, le iour de la [236] Visitation.
Ie vous asseure que ce fut bien voirement le
iour de la Visitation. Par la bonté de Dieu & de nostre
Dame, il me sembla que c'estoit Noël pour moy,
& que i'allois renaistre en vne vie toute nouuelle, &
vne vie de Dieu.
22 I do not know what it is to enter Paradise; but I
know well that in this world it is difficult to find a
greater and fuller joy than I had upon entering New
France, and saying the first Mass here on the day of
the [236] Visitation. I assure you that this was very
truly the day of the Visitation. Through the goodness
of God and of our Lady, it seemed to me that it
was Christmas for me, and that I was going to be reborn
into an altogether new life, and a life of God.
23 Le mal de la mer qui m'auoit donné de la
peine flottant sur la marine, fut bien-tost effacé par
le bien du Ciel, & la ioye que Dieu respandit en mon
ame touchant le Cap Breton. En rencontrant nos
184
Peres, il me sembla d'embrasser des Anges du Paradis,
ie ne me pû empescher de crier, helas! que sera-ce
quand on entrera en Paradis, & que Dieu & les
Anges receuront vne belle ame, qui sortira des orages
de la vie miserable qu'on mene sur la terre.
23 The seasickness which troubled me, when sailing
upon the ocean, was soon effaced by the mercy of
Heaven and the joy that God shed in my soul, upon
landing at Cape Breton. In meeting our Fathers it
seemed to me I was embracing Angels from Paradise;
I could not refrain from exclaiming, "Ah!
what will it be when we shall enter Paradise, and
when God and the Angels shall receive a beautiful
soul, which will emerge from the tempests of the
wretched life that we lead upon earth!"
24 I'auois creu qu'il falloit des miracles pour conuertir
ces Sauuages volans; mais ie me suis trompé,
[237] car les miracles propres de la Nouuelle France
sont ceux-cy. Leur faire bien du bien, & souffrir
bien des maux, ne s'en plaindre qu'à Dieu, s'en
estimer indigne, & se tenir pour fort inutile. Quiconque
aura ces vertus, fera des miracles plus grands
que les miracles, & deuiendra vn Sainct. En effect
il y a bien plus de peine de s'humilier profondement
deuant Dieu & les hommes, & de s'aneantir, que de
resusciter vn mort; car cela ne couste que le dire,
quand on a le don des miracles, & pour s'humilier
comme il faut à vray dire, il y faut la vie toute entiere
d'vn homme.
24 I had thought that miracles were necessary to
convert these flying Savages; but I was mistaken,
[237] for the real miracles of New France are the following:
To do them much good, and endure many
pains; to complain to God alone; to judge oneself unworthy,
and to feel one's uselessness. He who has
these virtues will perform miracles greater than miracles,
and will become a Saint. Indeed, it is harder
to humiliate oneself deeply before God and men, and
to annihilate oneself, than to raise the dead; for that
needs only the word, if one has the gift of miracles,
but to humiliate oneself as one ought to,—truly, that
requires a man's whole life.
25 Nous auons esté fort estonnez & infiniment resioüys,
voyant que dans nos petites cabanes, & dans
nos Habitations la discipline Religieuse y estoit aussi
exactement gardée, qu'aux plus grands Colleges [238]
de la France, & que la ferueur interieure est d'autant
plus grande, que l'exterieur semble y estre plus suiette
à beaucoup de diuertissements: c'est l'ordinaire
de la bonté infinie de Dieu, qui selon les besoins
multiplie la benediction de ses graces; & en effect à
mesure qu'vn seruiteur de Dieu s'abandonne à sa
saincte conduite, nostre Seigneur s'eslargit aussi dauantage,
& respand plus abõdamment la pluye pretieuse
de ses graces.
25 We were greatly astonished and infinitely glad
to see in our little cabins, and in our Settlements, the
Religious discipline as strictly observed as in the
largest Colleges [238] of France, and that the internal
fervor is so much the greater as the external seems
to be subjected to so many diversions; it is God's ordinary
practice, in his infinite goodness, that according
to our needs he multiplies the gift of his graces;
and, in truth, to the same extent as a servant of God
gives himself up to his holy guidance, our Lord expands
so much the more and sheds more abundantly
the precious shower of his graces.
26 Ces pauures Barbares ont coustume de nõmer
186
tous les Prestres Patriarches, & portent grand respect
aux hommes vertueux. Ils nous promettent de nous
apporter leurs enfans, quand ils seront malades à la
mort, pour les baptiser; en effect on en a baptisé
quelques vns qui sont morts peu apres le baptesme.
Ils sont bien predestinez à bon escient, & bien-heureux
de sortir de la Barbarie, [239] & entrer aussi tost
dans le Paradis. Quand on ne feroit iamais autre
chose, quel bon-heur d'auoir esté instrument de la
predestination de ces petites ames.
26 These poor Barbarians are accustomed to call all
the Priests, Patriarchs,48
and they show great respect
to men of integrity. They promise to bring us their
children, when they are sick unto death, to be baptized;
in fact, some have been baptized who died
shortly after baptism. They are indeed the elect, beyond
a doubt, and so blessed as to go forth from Barbarism
[239] and enter immediately into Paradise.
If one should never do anything else, what happiness
to have been instrumental in placing these little souls
among the elect!
27 On en trouue de si ignorants de toute sorte de
Religion, qu'on ne sçauroit trouuer vn nom pour leur
faire entendre Dieu; il le faut appeller le grand Capitaine
des hommes; celuy qui nourrit tout le monde;
celuy qui demeure là haut. On fait tout ce qu'on
peut: quelle obligation auront-ils à ceux qui les instruisent,
& qui s'efforcent de leur faire cognoistre vn
Dieu, pour le seruir le moins mal qu'ils pourront.
Là il ne faut pas grande doctrine, mais vne profonde
humilité, vne patience inuincible, & vne charité Apostolique
pour gaigner ces pauures Sauuages, qui d'ailleurs
ont vn bon sens commun. Que si vne fois on
commence à les [240] gaigner, le fruict sera inestimable.
27 One meets men so devoid of every notion of Religion,
that one cannot find a name to make them understand
God; we have to call him the great Captain of
men, he who feeds all the world, he who lives on high.
We do all we can; what obligations will they be under
to those who instruct them and who try to make
them know a God in order to serve him as well as
they can. Here deep learning is not needed, but
a profound humility, an unconquerable patience, and
an Apostolic charity, to win these poor Savages, who
in other respects have good common sense. And if
we begin once to gain [240] them, the fruit will be
incalculable.
28 La pensée de sainct Francois Xauier nous passe
mille fois par l'esprit, & a vn grand pouuoir. Si les
hommes du siecle pour auoir des peaux de Castor, de
la moulue, & ie ne sçay quelles denrées, n'apprehendent
ny les orages de la mer, ny les Sauuages de
la terre, ny la mer, ny la mort; quelle horrible confusion
seroit-ce à des seruiteurs de Dieu, d'apprehender
cela, ou quelques petits trauaux, pour tascher
de gaigner des ames rachetées auec le sang pretieux
188
de Iesus-Christ, & empourprées de son sang de valeur
inestimable? Se leueront-ils point au iour du
iugement cõtre nous ces petits facteurs, & pescheurs
de mouluë pour nous condamner, s'ils prennent plus
de peine pour gaigner vne piece d'argent, que nous
pour aider à sauuer les Sauuages. Ceste pensée pique
si fort nos [241] cœurs, qu'on ne sent point son mal,
ou si on le sent on ne s'en oseroit plaindre.
28 A thousand times the thought of saint François
Xavier passes through our minds, and has great power
over us. If the men of the world, in order to have
Beaver skins, and codfish, and I know not what commodities,
do not fear either the storms on the sea, or
the Savages on land, or the sea, or death; how dreadful
will be the confusion of God's servants for being
afraid of these things, or of a few little hardships, in
trying to win souls ransomed by the precious blood
of Jesus Christ, and empurpled by his blood of inestimable
value? On the day of judgment will not
these petty traders and fishers of cod rise up to
condemn us, if they take more pains to gain a piece
of money than we do to help save the Savages? This
thought stings our hearts so [241] deeply that we do
not feel our sufferings, or if we feel them we do not
dare to complain of them.
29 Il y a mille personnes en France qui sont fort
inutiles, & qui n'ont nul employ; ils sont sçauans,
& puis c'est tout, & cela ne sert de rien du tout à
l'Eglise de Dieu; helas! en la Nouuelle France ce seroient
des Apostres s'ils vouloient y venir employer
leur talent; moins de sçauoir & plus d'humilité & de
zele, feroit miracle icy, & ils gagneroient possible
plus en vn an, qu'ils ne feront toute leur vie en
France.
29 There are many persons in France who are of no
use, and have nothing to do there; they are scholars
and that is all, and that is of no use in the Church of
God; alas! in New France these men would be Apostles,
if they would come here to use their talents;
less wisdom, and more humility and zeal, would perform
miracles here, and it is possible they would gain
more in one year than they will do in a lifetime in
France.
30 L'experience nous fait voir, que ceux de la Compagnie
qui viennent en la Nouuelle France, il faut
qu'ils y soient appellez par vne vocation speciale
& bien forte; que ce soit gens morts & à soy, & au
monde; hõmes veritablement Apostoliques, qui ne
cherchent que Dieu, & le [242] salut des ames, qui
aiment d'amour la Croix, & la mortification; qui ne
s'espargnent point; qui sçachent supporter les trauaux
de la mer & de la terre, & qui desirent plus la
conuersion d'vn Sauuage, que l'Empire de toute l'Europe;
qui ayent des cœurs de Dieu, & tous remplis
de Dieu; qui soient comme des petits Iean Baptistes,
criant parmy ces deserts & ces forests, comme des
voix de Dieu, qui appellent tous ces pauures Sauuages
à recognoistre Iesus-Christ; en fin que ce soient
des hommes qui ont tous leurs contentemens dans
190
Dieu, & ausquels les souffrances soient leurs plus
cheres delices. Voila ce que l'experience nous fait
veoir tous les iours: mais aussi il est vray, qu'il semble
que Dieu respande bien plus abondamment les rosées
de ses graces sur cette Nouuelle France, que sur la
vieille, [243] & que les cõsolations interieures, & les
Diuines infusions y sont bien plus solides, & les cœurs
bien plus embrasez. Nouit Dominus qui sunt eius.
Mais il n'appartient qu'à Dieu de faire le choix de
ceux dont il se veut seruir, & ausquels il fait cette
misericorde de les amener en la Nouuelle France,
pour en faire des saincts. Sainct François Xauier
disoit qu'il y auoit vne Isle en Orient, qui estoit bien
propre pour faire perdre la veuë à force de plorer de
ioye excessiue du cœur; ie ne sçay si nostre Nouuelle
France ressemble point ceste Isle: mais nous experimẽtons
que si quelqu'vn icy s'abandonne à Dieu à
bon escient, il court hazard d'y perdre la veuë, & la
vie, & tout, & auec grande ioye à force de trauailler;
il n'appartient qu'à ceux qui y sont, & qui goustent
Dieu, d'en parler par experience.
30 Experience shows us that those of the Society
who come to New France should be impelled to it by a
special and very forcible call; persons who are dead
to themselves and to the world; men truly Apostolic,
who seek God alone, and the [242] salvation of souls,
who love with real love the Cross and self-mortification;
who do not spare themselves; who can endure
the hardships of the sea and of the land, and who desire
the conversion of a Savage more than the Empire
of all Europe; who have Godlike hearts, all filled with
God; who are like little John the Baptists, crying
through these deserts and forests like voices from God,
which summon all these poor Savages to acknowledge
Jesus Christ; in fine let them be men whose
sole satisfaction is in God and to whom suffering is
the greatest delight. That is what experience shows
us every day; but it is also true that it seems as if
God shed the dew of his grace much more abundantly
upon this New France than upon the old, [243] and
that the internal consolations and the Divine infusions
are much stronger here, and hearts more on fire.
Novit Dominus qui sunt ejus. But it belongs to God
alone to choose those whom he will use, and whom
he favors by taking them into New France, to make
saints of them. Saint François Xavier said that
there was an Island in the Orient which was quite
capable of making a person lose his sight, by crying
from excessive joy of the heart; I know not if our
New France resembles this Island, but we know from
experience that, if any one here gives himself up in
earnest to God, he runs the risk of losing his sight,
his life, his all, and with great joy, by dint of hard
work; it belongs only to those who are here and who
enjoy God to speak from experience.
[244] 31 Nous recognoissons euidemmẽt, qu'il faut
que ce soit le Ciel qui conuertisse la terre de la Nouuelle
Frãce, & que nous ne sõmes pas assez forts.
Nous ne craignõs rien tãt, sinon que nos imperfectiõs
n'empeschẽt la cõuersiõ de ces pauures Sauuages;
c'est pourquoy nous auõs tous esté d'auis de recourir
au Ciel, & à la tres saincte Vierge Mere de Dieu, par
laquelle Dieu a coustume de faire ce qui ne se peut
faire, & conuertir les cœurs les plus abandonnez. A
cet effet nous auons resolu de faire vn vœu fort solemnel,
dont voicy la teneur.
[244] 31 We clearly recognize that it must be Heaven
which shall convert the land of New France, and
that we are not strong enough. We fear nothing so
much as that our imperfections may prevent the conversion
of these poor Savages; that is why we have
all been minded to have recourse to Heaven and to
the very holy Virgin, Mother of God, through whom
God is accustomed to do what seems impossible, and to
convert the hearts of the most abandoned. To this
end, we have resolved to make a very solemn vow,
of which the following is the purport:—
Mon Dieu & mon Sauueur Iesus, quoy que nos pechez
nous doiuent esloigner de vostre presence, si est-ce
qu'épris d'vne affection de vous honorer & vostre
tres-Ste Mere, poussez d'vn desir de nous veoir dans
192
la fidelle correspondance que vous desirez de vos seruiteurs,
souhaittãs en [245] outre de vous veoir recõneu
& adoré de ces pauures peuples: Nous vous
promettons & faisons vœu, comme aussi à la tres-saincte
Vierge vostre Mere, & à sõ glorieux Espoux
S. Ioseph, de celebrer douze fois és douze mois suiuant
le sacrifice de la Ste Messe, pour ceux qui sont
Prestres; & pour les autres de reciter douze fois la
Couronne ou le Chappellet de la Vierge en l'honneur
& en action de grace de son immaculee Cõception, &
de ieusner tous la veille de ceste feste: vous promettans
en outre que si on erige quelque Eglise ou Chappelle
stable dãs ces pais, dans le cours de ce tẽps limité,
que nous la ferõs dedier à Dieu sous le tiltre
de l'immaculée Cõception, si cela est en nostre pouuoir,
le tout pour obtenir de la bõté de N. S. la conuersion
de ces Peuples, par l'entremise de sa saincte
Mere, & de son sainct Espoux. Receuez [246] cependant,
ô l'Emperiere des Anges & des hommes, les
cœurs de ces pauures Barbares abandonnez, que nous
vous presentons par les mains de vostre glorieux Espoux,
& de vos fidelles seruiteurs S. Ignace & S.
François Xauier, & de tous les Anges Gardiens de
ces miserables contrées, pour les offrir à vostre Fils,
afin qu'il leur donne sa cognoissance, & leur applique
le merite de son pretieux sang. Ainsi soit-il.
My God and my Savior Jesus, although our sins
ought to banish us from your presence, yet being inspired
with a desire to honor you and your very Holy
Mother, urged by a wish to see ourselves in the faithful
correspondence [to your graces] that you desire in
your servants, wishing [245] besides to see you acknowledged
and adored by these poor people: We
promise and make a vow unto you and also to the very
holy Virgin your Mother, and to her glorious Spouse
St. Joseph, to celebrate twelve times in twelve succeeding
months the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass, for
those who are Priests; and for the others to say
twelve times the Crown or Chaplet of the Virgin, in
honor of and as an act of grace for her immaculate
Conception, and all to fast the day before this festival;
promising you further that, if a permanent
Church or Chapel is erected in this country within
this specified time, we will have it dedicated to God
under the title of the immaculate Conception, if it is
in our power,—all this, to secure by the goodness of
Our Lord the conversion of these Peoples, through
the mediation of his holy Mother and of her holy
Spouse. In [246] the meantime receive, O Empress
of Angels and of men, the hearts of these poor abandoned
Barbarians that we present to you through the
hands of your glorious Spouse and of your faithful
servants, St. Ignace and St. François Xavier, and of
all the Guardian Angels of these wretched countries,
to offer them to your Son, that he may give them
knowledge of himself and apply to them the efficacy
of his precious blood. Amen.
Dieu par son infinie bonté nous rende dignes de
cette excellente vocation, pour dignement cooperer à
sa grace, au profit de ces pauures Sauuages.
May God in his infinite goodness render us worthy
of this noble calling, worthily to coöperate with his
grace, to the benefit of these poor Savages.
194
PAR Grace & Priuilege du Roy il est permis à
Sebastien Cramoisy, Marchand Libraire Iuré
en l'Vniuersité de Paris, & Imprimeur ordinaire
du Roy, d'imprimer ou faire imprimer vn liure
intitulé, Relation de ce qui s'est passé en la Nouuelle France
en l'année mil six cens trente cinq. Enuoyée au R. P. Provincial
de la Compagnie de Iesus en la Prouince de France.
Par le Pere Paul le Ieune de la mesme Compagnie, Superieur
de la Residence de Kebec: & ce pendant le temps &
espace de cinq années consecutiues. Auec defenses
à tous Libraires & Imprimeurs d'imprimer ou faire
imprimer ledit liure, sous pretexte de desguisement,
ou changement qu'ils y pourroient faire, à peine de
confiscation, & de l'amende portée par ledit Priuilege.
Donné à Paris le douziesme Ianuier, mil six
cens trente six.
Par le Roy en son Conseil.
Victon.
BY the Grace and License of the King, permission
is granted to Sebastien Cramoisy, Bookseller
under Oath in the University of Paris,
and Printer in ordinary to the King, to print or to
have printed a book entitled, Relation de ce qui s'est
passé en la Nouvelle France en l'année mil six cens trente
cinq. Envoyée au R. P. Provincial de la Compagnie de
Jesus en la Province de France. Par le Pere Paul le Jeune
de la mesme Compagnie, Superieur de la Residence de Kebec:
and this during the time and space of five consecutive
years. Prohibiting all Booksellers and Printers
to print or to have printed the said book, under
pretext of disguise or change that they might make
therein, on pain of confiscation of the copies, and of
the fine provided by the said License. Given at
Paris on the twelfth of January, one thousand six
hundred and thirty-six.
By the King in Council.
Victon.
196
NOVS Estienne Binet Prouincial de la Compagnie
de Iesvs en la Prouince de France. Suiuant
le Priuilege qui nous a esté octroyé par
les Roys Tres-Chrestiens Henry III. le 10. May 1583.
Henry IV. le 10. Decembre 1605. & Louys XIII. à
present regnant le 14. Feurier 1612. par lequel il est
defendu à tous Libraires de n'imprimer aucun Liure
de ceux qui sont composez par quelqu'vn de nostre
dite Compagnie, sans permission des Superieurs d'icelle:
Permettons à Sebastien Cramoisy Marchand Libraire
Iuré à Paris, & Imprimeur ordinaire du Roy,
de pouuoir imprimer pour dix ans la Relation de ce qui
s'est passé en la Nouuelle France, en l'année 1635. à nous
enuoyée par le Pere Paul le Ieune de nostre mesme
Compagnie, Superieur de la Residence de Kebec.
En foy dequoy nous auons signé la presente à Paris
ce quinziesme Ianuier 1635.
Signé,
E. Binet.
WE, Estienne Binet, Provincial of the Society
of Jesus in the Province of France, in accordance
with the License that has been granted
to us by the Most Christian Kings, Henry III. May
10th, 1583, Henry IV. December 10th, 1605, and
Louys XIII. now reigning February 14th, 1612, by
which all Booksellers are prohibited from printing
any of the Books which are composed by any one of
our said Society, without the permission of the Superiors
thereof: We permit Sebastien Cramoisy,
Bookseller under Oath in Paris, and Printer in ordinary
to the King, to print for ten years the Relation
de ce qui s'est passé en la Nouvelle France en l'année 1635,
sent to us by Father Paul le Jeune of our same Society,
Superior of the Residence of Kebec. In testimony
whereof we have signed the present at Paris,
this fifteenth of January, 1635.
Signed,
E. Binet.
XXVI
Paris: SEBASTIEN CRAMOISY, 1637
Source: Title-page and text reprinted from the copy of
the first issue (H. 65), in Lenox Library.
The document consists of two parts; the first by Le Jeune,
as superior, the second by Brébeuf. In the present volume
we give chaps. i.-ii., of Part I.; the remainder of Part I.
will occupy Volume IX. In Volume X., will appear all of
Part II.
